OREGON, 




ITS 



ADVANTAGES AS AN AGRICULTURAL 



AND 



COMMERCIAL STATE. 



STATISTICS, CLIMATE, CONDITION OF THE PEO- 
PLE, MARKETS, PRICE OF LAND, WAGES, 
COST AND ROUTES OF TRAVEL, 
ETC., ETC., ETC. 



Issued by the Board of Statistics, Immigration and Labor 

Exchange of 

PORTLAND, OREGON, 

H^FOR GRATUITOUS DISTRIBUTION.*^^ 



A. <v 



®tf: 









LIBRARY OF THE 




UNITED STATES BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 




Division 

Shelf. .. \n.7it0 




PKKSKNTKD BY 


1 "1Z 









I 



OREGON, 



ITS 



ADVANTAGES AS AN AGRICULTURAL 



AND 



COMMERCIAL STATE. 



STATISTICS, CLIMATE, CONDITION OF THE PEO- 
PLE, MARKETS, PRICE OF LAND, WAGES, 

COST AND ROUTES OF TRAVEL, 
v \Q ETC., ETC., ETC. 

v — 

Issued by the Board of Statistics, Immigration and Labor 

Exchange of 

PORTLAND, OREGON, 

H^FOR GRATUITOUS DISTRIBUTION/^Sagr 






889 



PORTLAND, OREGON: 

A. G. WALLING, BOOK AND JOB PRINTER. 

1870. 



rf. 



< 



~j 



a 



/ 






INTRODUCTION. 



The Board of Statistics, Immigration and Labor Ex- 
change of Portland, Oregon, was organized in ^.ngust 1869, for 
the purpose of encouraging immigration into Oregon and to aid 
immigrants on their arrival, in procuring lands for settlement, 
or employment for those who need it. Its method of operating 
is to collect reliable information from all parts of the State, per- 
taining to the Agricultural and other resources of the country, its 
climate, soil commercial advantages, markets, price of land, etc., 
and to disseminate it abroad ; to procure information of laud for 
sale or rent and government land for settlement, and to act as a 
medium between persons who want to employ help of any kind, 
and those who want employment. 

The Association makes no charges for any business it trans- 
acts. Funds for its support are obtained by private subscription. 

The Association has made its existence known in the States 
East of the Rocky Mountains, by the distribution of statistical 
information, through various channels, bearing on the industrial 
and commercial interests of Oregon. The result of this has 
been to call forth a great variety of inquiries for more detailed 
information, coming from all classes of people who, dissatisfied 
with the harsh climate, and crowded condition of the population 
in those States, contemplate emigration to the Pacific slope as 
a measure of relief. That Oregon has attracted general attention 
from that class of people, is manifest from the great number of 
these inquiries addressed, not only to this Association, but to 
Postmasters, Real Estate Agents, Editors of Public Journals and 
Public Officials throughout the State, evincing a want of inform- 
ation regarding the climate and resources of the country. 

This pamphlet has been prepared to meet that want. It is 
intended to be entirely reliable, It embodies facts and statistics 
drawn from authentic records, from the experience and observa- 
tions of practical men, and in the absence of these, from the 
best sources of information attainable. The statements con- 
tained in it are as near the actual facts as it is possible to get con- 
sidering the wide area, the diversity of interests and the sparse- 
ness of population. 

Oregon wants immigration. All classes of people who pur- 
sue industrial avocations are wanted; but more particularly, 
people acquainted with agricultural pursuits, to occupy and cul- 



tivate the wide extent of cultivable land now lying idle for the 
want of population. 

The present population of Oregon embraces people of all 
nationalities, the American predominating largely. As a com- 
munity they are hospitable, enterprising and progressive. All 
religious creeds and political opinions are protected alike, both 
by the laws and public opinion. A family from New England, 
the Middle, Western or Southern States, arriving in Oregon 
would find themselves among their countrymen, whose every 
day avocations are pursued with the same security that they 
would be in any of the oldest States. People from any nation 
in Europe coming here, will find representatives from their own 
country, enjoying all the rights and privileges of American citi- 
zens, and pursuing all branches of business. 

Society is firmly established. Churches and Schools are nu- 
merous, and open to all classes. Life and property have the 
amplest protection. The condition of the generality of the 
laboring classes of people is better than in any State in the 
Union. Wild speculations, financial crises, or mercantile failures 
have never occurred to an extent sufficient to disarrange the 
ordinary business affairs of the country. The wealth of Oregon 
has been accumulated here — drawn from the natural resources 
of the country. 

No great influx of population or capital has ever taken place 
to build up in a few years a large community, as was the case 
with some of the North-western States ; on the contrary, every- 
thing has grown slowly, but none the less surely. 

Eemote from the center of population, its great resources and 
splendid climate are not generally known abroad. To supply 
this deficiency, at least in part, is the object of this publication. 
It would be impossible in the small space devoted to the subject 
to go into very lengthy details, or to embrace the minutia of all 
branches of business. But those who may desire further in- 
formation on any subject connected in any way with Oregon 
interests, whether mentioned here or not, can address the Sec- 
retary of the Board of Immigration and Labor Exchange, 
Portland, Oregon, at whose hands their communications will 

receive prompt attention. 

JOHN M. DRAKE, 

Sec'ty Brd. Stat., Im. and Labor Ex. 

Portland, Oregon, April, 1870. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 



Oregon lies between the 42nd and 46th parallels of north 
latitude, and between the 117th meridian west from Greenwich, 
and the Pacific Ocean. The State has an average length, east 
and west, of about 350 miles, and a breadth, north and south, of 
275 miles, and contains 96,250 square miles, or, 61,600,000 acres 
of land. It embraces more territory than the States of New 
York and Pennsylvania combined. In population it has not to 
exceed 120,000 inhabitants, while the two States just named 
contained, according to the census of 1860, an aggregate popu- 
lation of nearly 7,000,000. Of the entire area of the State, about 
25,000,000 acres are adapted to agriculture, and about the same 
quantity to grazing purposes — the remainder being mountain 
land, valuable only for its immense forests of timber. Of the 
agricultural and grazing lands, not over six per cent, has passed 
from the government into the hands of private parties, and the 
quantity under cultivation would not exceed two per cent. 

The Cascade range of mountains, crossing the State from 
north to south, divides it into two main divisions — the Eastern 
and Western — each division having its own distinct peculiarities 
of climate, soil and topography. In the Western Division, tying 
at the base of, and in in a general parallel direction with, the 
Cascade range, are three large fertile valleys, separated from 
each other and from the sea-coast by low ranges of mountains. 
Taken together, these valleys form a continuous chain of settle- 
ments from Northern California to the Columbia river — the 
orthern boundary of Oregon. The Willamette Yalley, the 
largest of the three, occupies the northern part of the Western 
Division, with its waters flowing into the Columbia, and navig- 
able the entire length of the valley. The Eogue Eiver Yalley 
lies in the southern part, aad the Umpqua Yalley between the 
two. The waters of Rogue River and the Umpqua break 
through the Coast Range, discharging into the ocean. Rogue 
River is not navigable, but the Umpqua is navigable for light 
draft vessels to Scottsburg, twenty-five miles from its mouth; 
recent attempts to navigate it some forty miles farther up have 
met with fair success. The valley of the Willamette contains 
the oldest settlements in Oregon. It is one hundred and twenty- 
five miles long, and has a breadth of about 40 miles ; and in view 



6 

of all its advantages of soil, climate and marketing facilities, is 
justly considered to be the finest and best agricultural region of 
the Pacific slope. The area of its arable lands is sufficient for 
the support of a million people. Its present population does 
not exceed eighty thousand. The river flowing through its 
center drains a large part of the mountain system of Oregon, 
and with its innumerable tributaries and rivulets furnishes the 
valley with a constant supply of the best mountain water for 
agricultural purposes, and with water power for the use of mills 
and factories. The Umpqua and Eogue .River valleys are 
equally well watered, but are much smaller and of more irregu- 
lar and uneven surface. 

Western Oregon throughout its mountain ranges, and along 
the coast, is heavily timbered, while the valleys consist of al- 
ternate stretches of timber and prairie. Cedar, pine, fir, hem- 
lock, spruce, oak, ash, alder, soft maple and balm, or cotton- 
wood, are the principal varieties of timber adapted to the far- 
mer's use. 

Eastern Oregon is an elevated plateau, intersected with nu- 
merous water courses flowing in a general northerly direction 
into the Columbia. The Klamath Basin, situated in the south- 
western corner of this division, discharges its waters through 
the rivers of Northern California. An elevated range, called 
the Blue Mountains, crosses Eastern Oregon diagonally, from 
northeast to southwest, spreading out its spurs in all directions 
across the central and southern parts of that division. This di- 
vision of the State has a number of fine valleys, including the 
Grande Eonde, Powder Eiver, Umatilla and John Day valleys 
in the northern part, the Haruey Lake Valley in the central 
part, and Link Eiver, Lost Eiver, Sprague Eiver and other val- 
leys of the Klamath Basin. It has no navigable rivers except 
the Columbia on its northern border. The valleys and table 
lands of this division, comprising more than two-thirds of its 
entire area, are prairie lands. Timber of excellent quality, em- 
bracing several varieties of pine, fir, larch and cottonwood, 
grows on the high ridges of the mountain ranges and along the 
water-courses. As a general thing it is convenient of access 
from the valleys, supplying the settlers with abundant materials 
for fencing and building purposes. No hard wood is to be 
found anywhere in the forests of Eastern Oregon, except, at 
two or three spots along the foot-hills of the Cascade Mountains 
a scattering growth of oak of an inferior quality for mechan- 
ical purposes. The settlements in Eastern Oregon are confined 
to the valleys of the northern part, and to the mining regions; 
even there they are quite sparse. 



This part of the State has an extensive mining territory, very 
much of it still undeveloped, and capable of affording employ- 
ment for labor and capital, for many years, at remunerative 
rates. The mining population makes a home market for the 
products of the farms and dairys of the adjacent valleys; an im- 
important fact not to be overlooked in forming an estimate of 
its agricultural advantages. 

SOIL AND PEODUCTS. 

The valleys of Western Oregon have an undulating surface ; 
so much so, in some places, as to become hilly, while in others, 
there are broad tracts of land comparatively level. This unev- 
enness of surface occasions frequent alternations of upland and 
meadow, of timber and prairie ; so that the majority of farms 
have a portion of each. Springs and running brooks supply the 
farmers with pure water for all household, dairy and stock pur- 
poses. In the upper part of the Willamette Valley is an exten- 
sive district of smooth prairie land intersected with water cour- 
ses and groves of timber j and further down the valley are a 
number of smaller prairies, skirted with heavy bodies of tim- 
ber. The same conditions exist in the Umpqua and Eogue river 
valleys, but with the difference that the prairies are smaller in 
size. The prairie lands just described, together with the gentle 
slopes of the valleys, are the principal grain lands of Western 
Oregon. They have a rich soil of dark, sandy loam, very pro- 
ductive, and, generally speaking, easy to cultivate. The pro- 
ducts of this kind of land are : wheat, oats, corn, barley, rye, 
buckwheat, flax, timothy, clover, potatoes, fruit trees, and garden 
vegetables. Frequent depressions or swales occur, of a stiff black 
soil, adapted to grass, making excellent meadows when cultiva- 
ted and seeded to timothy. The hilly portions of the valleys 
have a soil of dark clay loam, with intervening valleys of sandy 
loam and vegetable mold, making good grass land, well adapted 
to grazing purposes and superior for fruit growing. Some of 
the hilly sections produce a better quality of wheat than even 
the finest prairie lands, although the yield is not quite so large. 

In the northern part of the Willamette valley is an extensive 
district of country, heavily timbered, on the uplands with fir, 
hemlock and cedar, and on the swales and creek bottoms with 
ash, alder, vine maple, and various descriptions of undergrowth. 
These are among the best lands of the State for grain, grass, 
fruit trees, and especially for all kinds of root crops and garden 
vegetables. The mountain lands of the Coast Eange are heavily 
timbered as a general thing. They have a mellow, loamy soil 



extending in most places to the summits of the ridges. On the 
western slope of this range, along and near the coast in several 
places, there are quite extensive districts of high, rolling hills, 
destitute of timber, and supporting a heavy growth of grass; 
while the intervening creek bottoms have a rich black soil of 
great depth. Tide and marsh lands are of frequent occurrence 
on the coast, producing a fine quality of grass. On Coos Bay r 
and in that vicinity, are extensive bodies of this kind of land. 
The grass lands along the coast cannot be excelled in any coun- 
try for general stock raising purposes ; while the creek bottoms 
and benches, hardly have an equal for productiveness in all kinds 
of farm crops. 

Wheat and oats are the leading grain crops of Western Ore- 
gon. Climate and soil seem to have a special adaptation to their 
growth, and to the maturity and perfection of the grain. Corn 
and barley are cultivated to some extent, and good crops of both 
have been raised in the valleys; but with exceptions in favor of 
a'few localities, they are not regarded as being adapted to the 
climate. In Eogue river valley, however, barley makes a good 
crop, yielding from 80 to 50 bushels per acre ; and corn is grown 
every year in some parts of the Willamette and Umpqua val- 
leys. In the Willamette valley, rye and buckwheat are raised 
to a small extent, equal probably to the demands of the market. 
The yield per acre is from 25 to 30 bushels for rye, and 40 to 50 
for buckwheat. The buckwheat flour of the Willamette valley 
is superior to that of any other section on the Pacific slope. 

Wheat is a sure crop anywhere in western Oregon. It is free 
from the ravages of insects, rust, blight, and other deleterious 
influences common in some sections of the United States. Sev- 
eral varieties of both winter and spring wheat are cultivated ; 
both do well. Winter wheat is put in the ground in October or 
November, and spring wheat from February to May, according 
to season, condition of ground, etc. The yield per acre ranges 
from 20 to 40 bushels ordinarily. Many good farmers claim that 
with reasonably good cultivation an average of 30 bushels one 
year with another can be depended on. In the history of the 
white settlement of Western Oregon, extending over a period of 
about 30 years, there has never been a failure of the wheat 
crop; and only twice during that time was there sufficient rain 
in harvest time to damage the crop. The quality of the grain 
is superior. It attains to more than the ordinary weight per 
bushel, and makes a quality of flour that, commands the highest 



9 

prices in San Francisco and New York. Frequently the San 
Francisco market reports quote the flour of some of the princi- 
pal mills of Oregon at figures above anything of California man- 
ufacture. A cargo of wheat shipped in the spring of 1869, by a 
business firm of Portland, to Liverpool,' entered into competition 
with wheat from all parts of the world, and brought the highest 
price current at the time. 

Oats is the principal grain raised for feed, particularly in the 
Umpqua and Willamette valleys. It is always a sure crop, and 
yields all the way from 50 to 100 bushels per acre. A large 
quantity is shipped every year to San Francisco, where it sells 
from 10 to 15 cents per hundred pounds higher than that pro- 
duced in California. 

As an example of the productiveness of Western Oregon of 
the two leading grain crops, an extract is here given from an 
address delivered by Hon. A. J. Dufur, late President of the 
Oregon State Agricultural Society, before the American Insti- 
tute Farmers' Club in New York City, September 25tb, 1869 : 

Allow me to cite some well authenticated facts to prove the fertility of our Oregon 
lands. In Linn county, as President of the Agricultural Society of the State, I had 
the pleasure of awarding the premium to a farmer who raised 82 bushels of oats to 
the acre, weighing 43 pounds per bushel ; for the best 10 acres in oats, a premium for 
78 bushels per acre, weight 41 pounds per bushel ; for the best 10 acres of wheat, 
showing 48 bushels per acre. And to another farmer a premium for a field of oats, 
measuring 85 bushels to the acre. In Marion county the average yield of wheat is 
33J bushels per acre. I have known 3,500 bushels grown on 69^ acres, and the grain 
weighed 66 pounds per bushel. 

And again, from the Oregon Statesman, Oct. 21st, 1869 : 

There are on Howell prairie, (in Marion county) six men living close together, 
who this year harvested an aggregate of 315 acres of wheat, yielding 10,S46 bushels, 
or nearly 34£ bushels per acre. This has been a poor wheat season, and Howell 
prairie is no better than the rest of Marion county. One of the same men, A. B. 
Simmons, selected six acres from his forty of oats, and measured up from the six 
acres, six hundred bushels. 

In the Willamette Valley the cultivation of flax is beginning 
to engage the attention of farmers to a considerable extent. 
The seed used is the Bombay variety, yielding a large crop of 
seed, but producing a fibre of inferior quality and small in quan- 
tity. The upland ridges have been found best adapted to it. 
The yield ranges from 25 to 30 bushels per acre. The Califor- 
nia Oil Mills have contracted, this year, for the product of 6,000 
acres in Linn county, the seed to be delivered at Albany at 2£ 
cents per pound ; and the Pioneer Oil Mills, at Salem, in this 
State, have contracted for the product of 3,000 acres, at the 
same figures, delivered at their mills. 

Fruit of nearly every description is raised with unusual suc- 
cess. The trees come into full bearing in three years from 
transplanting, and with very little care or cultivation yield 



, 10 

heavy crops of fruit of the finest quality. Apples, pears, plums, 
quinces, cherries, currants and all descriptions of small fruits 
and berries have a special adaptation to the moist climate and 
sea air of Western Oregon. Peaches, apricots, grapes and that 
class of fruits loving a hot, dry climate, do not succeed so well 
in the northern part of the Willamette Yalley and along the 
coast; but in Eogue Eiver Yalley and the hilly country west of 
it, where the climate is hotter and dryer, more nearly approach- 
ing that of California, that class of fruit is cultivated very suc- 
cessfully. Thus far fruit trees in Oregon have been entirely 
exempt from the diseases incident to their cultivation in the 
majority of the older States. 

Among the grasses, timothy, blue grass and clover, are the 
kinds mostly cultivated — the former to a large extent as a hay 
crop. On the swales and ash bottoms it yields from two to 
three tons per acre, very often without any cultivation except 
to sow the seed after the ground has been cleared of its growth 
of brush and burnt over. The abundant growth of wild grass 
renders unnecessary any extensive cultivation of grass for pas- 
turing purposes. 

Garden vegetables of all kinds, and the various root crops, 
are cultivated very successfully in all parts, particularly so on 
the timber lands and creek bottoms, where tbe yield of these 
products is very large. Except in a few instances for gardening 
purposes, irrigation of the soil is not practiced in Western Ore- 
gon. The abundant rains of spring and early summer, together 
with the fertility of the soil, renders it entirely unnecessary. 

Eastern Oregon consists of high table lands and rolling prai- 
ries, with a number of valleys along its water courses, of con- 
siderable extent. Taken as a whole, it is especially adapted to 
grazing purposes, although its valleys contain farming lands 
equal in productiveness to those of any country; and in many 
places the high prairies have produced excellent crops of grain. 
North of the Blue' Mountains, or what is known as the Great 
Plain of the Columbia, the soil of the highlands is a sandy loam, 
producing in its natural state a heavy growth of wild bunch 
grass of the most nutritious quality. In the central and south- 
ern portions of this division of the State, the highlands are 
rugged and broken, the surface of the .country, sometimes for 
miles in extent, being covered with broken trap rock; still, with 
the exception of a few barren spots, the growth of bunch grass 
is undiminished either in quantity or quality. It springs up 



11 

fresh and green, in the first warm days of early spring, and in a 
few weeks stock begins to fatten on it. By burning over the 
ground, a fall growth is produced, which, by the middle of Oc- 
tober, makes good grazing and lasts through the short winter of 
that section of the country. It was the custom of the Indians 
of Eastern Oregon, in former years, to raise large herds of 
horses without providing any feed for them for the winter. 
The settlers and stock-raisers there now raise and fatten, every 
year, thousands^of cattle, grazing them the year round. Fat 
beef cattle, wintered and fattened on the "range/' have been 
shipped down the Columbia, and thence to Victoria, on Van- 
couver's Island, to market, as early in the spring as the middle 
of March. 

The valley3 of Eastern Oregon have a rich soil of black loam, 
producing wheat, oats, barley, corn, vegetables and fruits. 
Wheat succeeds equally as well as in Western Oregon, while 
barley does much better, often yielding as high as 60 to 80 bush- 
els per acre. Corn makes a good crop in many of the valleys, 
the warm, dry summer weather of this region being adapted to 
its growth and maturity. Some of the tender fruits and veget- 
ables, as peaches, grapes, melons, tomatoes and sweet potatoes, 
are being cultivated with good success. Tobacco has succeeded 
well -in several instances. In a general sense, the range of farm 
products varies very little from that of Western Oregon, making 
due allowance for the different adaptabilities of a dry climate. 
Irrigation is resorted to occasionally for the better production 
of garden vegetables and fruits; but thus far, it has not been 
found necessary in the cultivation of any kind of grain crops. 
This part of Oregon has been settled but a few years, and expe- 
rience has not demonstrated conclusively whether there is any 
liability of the failure of crops from drought or other causes; 
although the success attending farm operations thus far, would 
indicate that no dangers of that nature are to be apprehended. 
It is claimed by the people of Eastern Oregon, that for pro- 
ductiveness its valleys cannot be excelled on the Pacific Slope. 
The absence of timber in the valleys is considered a disadvan- 
tage by some; this, however, is more apparent than otherwise, 
from the fact that the neighboring mountains' afford an inex- 
haustible supply. Water of good quality is plenty in all the 
valleys, but the number of springs and running brooks is much 
less than in Western Oregon. 



12 

CLIMATE. 

To give an account of the climate of any one county in 
the State of Ohio would be to describe the climate of the entire 
State, in the main. Not so with Oregon, where the extent of 
territory is so great, that the various influences of mountain 
ranges, extended plains, contiguity to the sea, the prevailing 
winds and other causes operate to make a climate as varied as 
are the peculiarities of its numerous localities. Latitude on the 
North-west coast of America is no index to the character of the 
climate. Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia Eiver, situated 
on the same degree of latitude, nearly, with Quebec, has a sum- 
mer temperature 8° cooler, and a winter temperature 30° 
warmer than that place. It is only in the high altitudes of 
the mountain ranges, that deep snows and harsh winters have 
any existence in Oregon. 

The following table, compiled chiefly from the reports of the 
Smithsonian Institute, will give a comparative view of the tem- 
perature of the four seasons, at several prominent points on the 
North Pacific slope, with that of a number of places East of the 
Eocky Mountains. The only point in Eastern Oregon embraced 
in the table is the Dalles, at the Eastern base of the Cascade 
range; a place influenced to a great extent by local causes, 
and does not fairly represent the climate in the extensive val- 
leys farther East, constituting the principal agricultural and 
grazing districts of Eastern Oregon. 

Table.— Showing comparative mean Temperature. 



Astoria, Oregon ... 
Corvallis, " 
The Dalles " ... 
Steilacoom, W. T. 

Augusta, 111 ,.. 

Hazlewood, Minn 

Albany, N. Y 

Quebec, C. E 

New Yok City 

Norfolk, Va 



Latitude ; Spring. Summer Fall 



46.10 
44.30 
45.40 
47.10 
40.10 
44.20 
42.35 
46.50 
40.45 
36.50 



51.16 
52.19 
53.00 
49.00 
51.34 
42.33 
47.61 
40.00 
48.00 
56.00 



61.36 
67.13 
70.36 
62.00 
72.51 
69.95 
70.17 
69.00 
72.00 
76.00 



53.55 
53.41 
52.21 
51.00 
53.38 
42.60 
50.01 
45.00 
54.00 
61.00 



Winter. Average. 



42.43 
39.27 
35.59 
39.00 
29.80 
13.06 
25.83 
12.00 
31.00 
40.00 



52.13 
53.00 
52.79 
50.00 
51.76 
41.97 
48.41 
41.00 
51.00 
59.00 



It will be seen from the above that Corvallis, situated in lati- 
tude 44.30, and in the heart of the Willamette valley, has a win- 
ter temperature nearly the same as Norfolk, situated nearly eight 
degrees further South, while the summer temperature of the latter 
place is nearly nine degrees higher than that of the former. It is 
this comparative evenness of temperature throughout the year 
that gives to the climate of Oregon its greatest charm. 



13 

The first thing that impresses a stranger in passing from 
Western into Eastern Oregon is the very decided change notice- 
able everywhere, in the atmosphere, vegetation and general as- 
pect of the country. This is due chiefly to the difference in 
the climate of the two sections : Western Oregon has a wet 
climate, while the Eastern part has a dry one. 

The winter of Eastern Oregon, though of short duration, gen- 
erally brings with it several inches of snow on the table lands 
and in the valleys. The weather is usually dry but quite cold. 
Snow remains from three to six weeks, in the months of De- 
cember and January, some seasons; in others, only a few days. 
It is usual for stock to be grazed through these months without 
interruption, but occasionally there is a "hard winter," render- 
ing it necessary to do some feeding. The Spring begins in Feb- 
ruary and lasts to the end of May, with warm pleasant weather, 
and rain sufficient to give life and vigor to vegetation. The 
summers are hot and dry, but not sultry or oppressive. It is 
very seldom that rain falls in summer or early fall, still the 
freshness of the mountain air renders the days pleasant and the 
nights cool and refreshing. The range of the thermometer is 
rather above the summer temperature of Western Oregon • 
sometimes reaching 100°, but only at rare intervals. Ordinari- 
ly, the thermometer indicates 90° as about the highest summer 
temperature, and 10° as the lowest for winter, although these 
limits may not mark the extremes in the case of an uncommon- 
ly hard winter, or warm summer, occurring once in from five to 
eight years. 

The amount of rain fall in Western Oregon is regarded by 
some as an objection to the climate. The rain fall, though large, 
has been generally over rated. The following table prepared by 
Thomas Frazar, Esq., of Portland, from notes carefully kept 
during a course of ten years, will furnish the facts : 

WEATHER RECORD FOR OREGON. 

From the Daily Oreyonian of Nov. 18th, 1869 : — As the impression is abroad in 
many of the States, as also in Oregon, that Oregon has a greater number of stormy or 
rainy days than any other State, I send you the enclosed table of the weather, which 
I have kept daily for the past ten years, beginning April, 1858 ; which table will show 
that Oregon has a yearly average of 65 per cent, of days without rain or snow. Be- 
sides this a large proportion of the days recorded under the head of "sunshine and 
showers," were days in which persons could follow their out-door vocations without 
serious inconvenience. Under the head of "pleasant" no rain or snow fell between 
sunrise and sunset. Under the head of "rainy," there was no sunshine, and rain fell 
most of the time. Under the head of "sunshine .and showers," are included days 
when a part or half of the day would b« pleasant and part rainy. I am aware that 
rain and snow fell during the time between sunset and sunrise, also that many days 
that are marked rainy j the night would be clear and pleasant. I think one will offset 



14 



the other. I have also noted some of the extremes during some years, which you can 
publish if you think them deserving of notice. I think the table will be appreciated 
by persons interested in or inquiring about Oregon : 



1858. 



S g 
o £ 

April.. 20 
May ..15 
June ..23 
July. ..27 
Aug ...25 

Jan ...18 
Feb ... 4 
March 4 
April. .21 
May.. .20 
June.. 



. .a ^ 

a oo ^ 

•2 S3 co 

P3 co 

6 4 

6 10 

3 4 






1 

2 

9 

10 

12 

3 

8 

25 



21 



Sep 

Oct ...18 
Nov....l8 
Dec ...10 
Totall80 
1859. 



29 

25 
20 

22 



July 
Aug 
Sep. 
Oct.. 
Nov ...18 

Dec 22 

Total i 228 

I860. 
1 liJuly...27 
3 
6 
11 



=9 

© u 

. 5 2 ^ 

•I si I 

es p to jh 
PS 'CO CO 

5 4 .., 

6 7 .., 
8 3 ... 

11 6 4 
48 43 4 

... 2 .. 

3 3.. 

8 2.. 

6 3.. 

8 3 

6 1 



1 
2 
73 47 17 



Jan ...19 
Feb ...16 
Mar. ..18 
April. .14 
May. ..15 
June. ,.25 



10 
9 
6 
4 



3 



lAug...24 
llSep....23 
..Oct ....17 
..Nov. ..18 
... Dec ...16 



Total 232 

1861. 



3 

4 
2 
4 

8 4 

8 1 

72 57 



1 

3 

5 

10 



Jan ...16 6 

Feb... 14 12 

Mar ...19 2 

April ..16 5 

May ..18 5 

June.,.17 6 



July ..29 
Aug ...27 
Sep... .26 

Oct 19 

Nov... 8 
Dec. ..15 



Total 224 



1862. 



Jan ...20 
Peb ...17 
Mar ...13 
April. 19 

May ..17 
June ..21 



1 
3 

9 

5 

10 

7 



July...28 
Aug ...28 
Sep. ...25 

Oct 23 

Nov. ..28 
Dec ...16 



Total 250 

1863. 



1 

2 

6 

16 

9 
70 

1 

2 
4 
4 
1 
12 
47 



2 ., 

3 ., 

2 .. 
6 ., 

4 2 

3 4 
61 10 



7 
1 
1 
4 
1 
3 
52 



1864. 



■9 



Ph 
.15 



H 

« 

o 

Jan , 

Feb ...24 
Mar ...14 
April .23 
May. ..29 
June.. .19 



. :i I 

>~> .a « 

S3 <n m 

8 3 

4 1 
8 9 

5 2 
... 2 

4 7 



■*3 * 



<D 



© 



M 03 

£ H ?2 

© w V© 

o .-H 

:.S Ah 
5 July ..28 
... Aug ...27 
,.. Sept ..17 

,.. Oct 25 

... Nov ...16 
... Dec ...15 



Total 252 

1865. 



Jan . 

Feb. 
Mar 



.17 
.18 
.13 



April .20 
May....25 
June...22 



11 
6 

10 
5 
3 
3 



July ..26 
Aug .,.25 
Sep....! 3 
Oct..23... 
Nov. ..14 
Dec....ll 



. .Si 

G. vi 01 

•s § 

Ph CO 

... 3 

... 4 
6 7 
3 3 
3 
3 
47 



4 
6 
10 
8 
5 



11 
11 

60 



11 



Total 227 

1866. 



65 63 



Jan ...19 
Feb.. ..17 
Mar. ..15 
April ..14 
May. ..18 
June. ..14 



7 

3 

11 

7 
5 
6 



2 
8 
5 
9 
8 
10 



3 July ...30 
.. Aug ...26 
..Sept ...29 
.. Oct ,...17 

..Nov.. .15 
.. Dec' 



Total 230 

1867. 



1 
4 
1 
5 
4 
.16 13 2 
73 59 



9 
11 



Jan. ...16 
Feb ...10 
Mar ...27 
April ..19 
May. ..23 
June ..25 



10 
12 

2 
4 
2 
3 



July ..18 
Aug. ..30 
Sep ....26 

Oct 20 

Nov. ..19 
Dec. ...11 



Total 244 

1868. 



3 10 

... 1 

3 1 

5 6 

8 3 

13 5 

65 49 



Jan ...23 
Feb ...21 
Mar... 14 
April ..18 
16 May. ..19 
June ..23 



Jan ...11 
Feb ...10 
Mar.. .19 
April ..15 
May ...22 
June ..27 



17 

7 
6 



July. ..27 
Aug... .29 
Sep. ...19 
Oct 20 

Nov... 14 
Dec... 7 



Total 220 



10 
17 

82 



2 
2 
7 
3 
6 
7 
55 



1 

4 
12 

8 
9 



July. ..30 
Aug... 31 
Sep... .29 

Oct 27 

Nov. ..20 
Dec 17 



1 

1 

6 
5 
30 



60 47 



Total 272 

Recapitulation. 

1864 252 

1865 227 

1866 230 

1867 244 65 49 

1868 272 30 55 



65 63 
73 59 



4 
10 



1858* 180 48 43 4 

1859 228 73 47 17 

1860 232 72 57 5 

1861 224 70 61 10 

1862 250 47 52 16 

1863 220 82 55 8 
Total ,.. 2559 685 588 

*Nine months. 

Sixty-five per cent, of the above days are without rain or snow. 

Notes. — Ice formed December 2d, 1858, In 1859 ponds were frozen over at times 
till March 1st — ice never over two inches thick ; very little cold weather in December, 
1859 ; no ice to speak of. January 24th, 1860, the ground froze for the first time this 
winter — first ice Jan. 26th. Ice and frost all gone Feb. 1st. I planted potatoes Feb. 
6th ; on the 17th planted onion sets and onion seeds ; April 26th planted corn. Jan. 
2d, 1862, Columbia river frozen over so that the ocean steamers could not run j ther- 
mometer 16° below freezing point. Jan. 8th, snow a foot deep ; excellent sleighing. 
On 17th, Willamette frozen hard enough to cross on foot. On 24th, ice gone out of 
Willamette river. March 10th, snow all disappeared. January 7th, 1868, Columbia 
river closed with iee. On the 11th Willamette closed over so as to stop the steamers 
running to Oregon City until the 28th. No rain fell after the first of July until Sep- 
tember 3d — 63 days— and then none again till October 23d. THOS. FBAZAR. 



1 

9 

7 

10 

3 

7 
9 

96 



15 

These observations were taken at Portland where there is 
about as much rain as at any place in Oregon. The upper part 
of the Willamette Valley has considerably less ; Umppua Valley 
still less : and Eogue Eiver less than either, the climate becom- 
ing dryer, going South from the Columbia Eiver, so that in the 
Southern part of the State it approaches that of California. 

The following figures show the rain fall in inches, for each 
season and for the whole year, at New York, St. Louis and San 
Francisco, as compared with Astoria. 





Spring. 


Summer. 


Fall. 


Winter. 


Year. 




16 

8 

11 

12 


4 



11 

• 14 


17 
2 
9 
8 


22 

11 

10 

6 


59 




21 




41 




40 



In a strict sense of the term, Western Oregon has but two 
seasons — the wet and dry. An ordinary rainy season begins 
early in November and continues to the first of April, usually, 
with intermissions of good weather in January and February of 
a few days or a few weeks duration. These intervals are gen- 
erally accompanied by a few inches of snow, raw, cold weather, 
and sharp frosts, Constituting the only approach to actual winter 
to which the country is subject. Stock in all sheltered localities 
get along through these cold snaps without feed, especially when 
pasture has been reserved for such emergencies. It is safe to 
assert that two-thirds of the stock of the valleys go through all 
ordinary winters by taking care of themselves in the pastures 
and woods ; while along the coast, where tide and marsh lands 
are accessible, owners of stock do not pretend to feed. Once in 
seven or eight years, there comes what is called a "hard winter;" 
that is, the winter interval continues six weeks or two months ; 
snow remains on the ground several weeks; the cold weather is 
prolonged until the water courses freeze. At such times stock 
will suffer unless it recieves some attention. To offset the "hard 
winter," there occurs sometimes a very mild one, like the season 
of 1868-69, with not even enough snow to whiten the ground, or 
cold to form ice thicker than a window glass. 

Gardening operations were commenced in February that sea- 
son, and flowers bloomed in the open air throughout the winter. 
There have been a number of such seasons in Oregon within 
fifteen or twenty years. 

From April to the end of June, the weather is usually warm, 
pleasant and showery. The dry season proper, commences about 



16 

the first of July and continues to the end of October, interrupted 
by a week's rainy weather in September. The term "dry sea- 
son," as applied to Oregon, does not imply excessive heat and 
sultriness, for such it not the case. The prevailing wind is from 
the North-west — a sea breeze that keeps the temperature down. 
The nights are cool and refreshing to men who do out door 
work, although the effect is not beneficial so far as corn raising 
is concerned. The extremes of heat and cold in Western Ore- 
gon may be put at 14° for the lowest and 82° as the highest 
range of the thermometer, although a few instances have oc- 
curred in which these limits were passed. 

A noticeable feature of Western Oregon, due mainly to the 
climate, is the excessive luxuriance of all kinds of vegetation, 
especially on the Columbia and along the coast. The country 
wears an appearance of perpetual spring. An Oregon fir tree 
often reaches an altitude of three hundred feet, or over eighteen 
rods; trees, out of which have been taken eigteen rail-cuts, and 
many of which will make from six to ten thousand feet of lum- 
ber. The common elder becomes in this moist climate, a tree of 
ten or twelve inches in diameter, and the alder grows large 
enough for saw-logs. 

Another noticeable feature is, that, although a rainy country, 
Oregon is not subject to high tempests, terrific hailstorms, earth- 
quakes or other like phenomena, so common and so destructive 
in some States. Observations made by government officers show 
that in twenty-one years Oregon had only three winds moving 
at the rate of forty-five miles an hour, with a force of ten pounds 
to the square foot. In Massachusetts, Ehode Island and Con- 
necticut, the reports from eleven stations where observations 
were made, show that in thirty months there were four winds 
of forty-five miles velocity and ten pounds power, and two winds 
of sixty miles velocity and eighteen pounds power. At eleven 
stations in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin, the 
reports show that during twenty-six months there were twenty- 
five winds of forty-five miles velocity, two winds of seventy- 
five miles velocity, and two hurricanes of a velocity of ninety 
miles an hour. 

From a register of meteorological observations kept at the 
Portland Library rooms, the following record of the weather is 
Compiled for the months of January and February, 1870 : 



17 

January: Highest temperature 530 

Lowest " j 7 

Highest average for one day "'57 

Lowest '.' ** 23 

, Mean temperature for the month .',40 

Rain fall for the month 4,83 inches 

Snow " ■• ....^ inch. 

February: Highest temperature 530 



Lowest 



n 



Highest average for one day ^49 

Lowest •* " vp 

Average for the month ............. ... ".'.".' 42% 

Total rain fall !.'lV.V.'.]!]X3o''inches. 

Sdow * v none. 

These observations are useful as indicating the range of the 
thermometer at a season of the year when sudden changes are 
most likely to occur. 

Observations carefully kept by Dr. I. Moses, U. S. A., at Asto- 
ria, for a period of fourteen months, commencing August, 1850, 
and terminating September 1851, show that, during that period 
the greatest variation of the thermometer during any one month 
was 37°. The highest points reached by the mercury during 
the period was 94°; the lowest, 22°. The highest daily mean, 
82° • the lowest, 26°. Variation during the coldest day, 6° \ dur- 
ing the warmest day, 12°. Mean annual temperature, 53°. The 
Doctor remarks that, " These observations may be considered 
the average of the temperature, year after year, at that place, 
and when it is considered that Astoria is in about the same lati- 
tude as Houlton, Maine, and Sault St. Marie, the uniformity and 
mildness of the climate seem remarkable." 

HEALTHFULNESS OF THE CLIMATE. 
t 

The experience of the early missionaries, the employees of 
the Hudson's Bay Company, and the American settlers that fol- 
lowed them, during the course of a period of thirty years, is 
that the climate ot Oregon is a healthy one. In comparing the 
rates of mortality in the Pacific States with that of some of the 
States east of the Rocky Mountains, the following facts are ob- 
tained : The deaths in Arkansas in 1860, were at the rate of one 
person out of every 48 ; Massachusetts and Louisiana lost one iu 
57; Illinois and Indiana, one in 87; Kansas, one in 68; Vermont, 
the healthiest State on the Atlantic slope, lost one in 92; Cali- 
fornia lost one in 101; Oregon, one in 172, and Washington Ter- 
ritory, one in 228. The difference in favor of the climate of the 
Pacific coast is really greater than the figmrea make it; for a 
great many persons afflicted with incurable complaints, have 
gone there in the hope of obtaining some sort of relief. 



18 

On this subject an article written by Dr. ¥m. H. Watkins, of 
Portland, a physician of seventeen years practice in different 
parts of Oregon and Washington Territory, is introduced to 
illustrate whatever effect th*e climate may have on particular 
forms of disease as compared with that of several other States. 
The Doctor writes : 

"Oregon, in truth, may be said to have no prevailing type of 
disease. In the Willamette Yalley we bajre the soil, the alluvial 
deposit, the moisture, which, in Indiana or Illinois, would cause 
agues and intermittents to be rife through the community, — and 
throughout the valley in spring and autumn occasional cases of 
ague are found, but they invariably yield to remedies in small 
doses compared with those given in malarial districts in the 
Western States. Yery rarely is a person seen with the ague 
cachexia- and complexion, so often seen in the ague districts of 
the Wabash, Illinois and Sacramento Valleys. The type is 
commonly a tertian, or when a chiJl occurs every other day, 
though persons having a chill daily are met with. 

For this somewhat remarkable immunity from malarial dis- 
orders, considering the extent and depth of our river bottoms, 
we are indebted to our northern latitude, to the daily sea-breeze 
borne to us from the waters of the Pacific, to our cool, bracing 
nights, and to the medium temperature of even our warmest 
days. Typhus or typhoid fevers have never been epidemic in 
Oregon. 

The equable temperature, summer and winter, the absence of 
high cold winds and sudden atmospheric changes, render people 
less subject to bronchial, rheumatic and inflammatory complaints 
than they are in countries where the thermometer swings en- 
tirely around the circle. In July and August, as at the East, 
children are troubled with summer complaint, but the disease 
is ordinarily quite amenable to treatment, and seldom runs 
into dysentery. 

East of the Cascades the air is dry, the altitude high, and the 
country is popularly supposed to be beneficial to consumptives. 
Army reports appear to sanction this belief. 

On the head waters of the Columbia a disease somewhat pe* 
culiar, known as mountain fever, attacks the inhabitants, if 
particularly exposed. It probably is malarial in its origin, but 
is modified by the rarity and dryness of the atmosphere. It 



19 

presents many" features of remittent fever, is disposed to take a 
typhoid type with congestions of brain, lungs or bowels. It 
naturally tends to resolution as but few die. While at Fort 
Walla Walla, I attended twenty-two cases, soldiers who had 
made a summer and fall campaign up the waters of Snake river, 
all of whom recovered. 
t For twenty years, aside from scarlet fever and dyptheria, 
which several years ago visited nearly every neighborhood' 
there has been no general epidemic of at all fatal character in 
Oregon. The general salubrity of the climate and healthfulness 
of the people cannot be questioned. 

I append some statistics of mortality taken from the report of 
the Surgeon General of the army from several sections of the 
country : » 

XT ^ , 3 DEATHS FROM FEVER. 

New England . 

Harbor of New York J ? 28 '1' 

The Great Lakes W....ZZ11 J ?n ,?$* 

Jefferson Barracks and St. Louis Ars'enaL.'.' 1 !" n, 

Texas. Southern frontier ; - it' 

Texas, Western frontier '" ! ln * 7 ' 

Oregon and Washington Territory ZZZZZZ. ZZZZZZZZ. 1 in 529.' 

POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. 

Oregon is divided into twenty-two counties, viz : Baker, Ben- 
ton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglass, 
Grant, Jackson, Josephine, Linn, Lane, Marion, Multnomah, 
Polk, Tillamook, Union, Umatilla, Wasco, Washington and 
Yamhill. 

BAKER county, is situated east of the Cascade mountains, 
and presents a good field for settlement. During the past year 
a marked increase has been noticed both in population and wealth 
of this county. Auburn, the county seat is located about 350 
miles from Portland by the usual traveled route. Baker City, 
an important trading point, is located about ten miles southeast 
of Auburn, in the Powder river valley. Taxable property of the 
county, $418,490. This county embraces one of the largest 
mining districts in the State. 

BENTON county, situated in the heart of the Willamette val- 
ley, contains a population of 4,669 with assessable property val- 
ued at $1,133,097. Corvallis, the county seat, is one of the hand- 
somest towns in the State and is a place of considerable, trade. 
It contains several excellent schools, a college conducted by 
the Methodist Church South, a Female Academy under the 



20 

auspices of the Episcopalians, three Churches, Methodist, Pres- 
byterian and Catholic. The Corvallis Gazette, a weekly news- 
paper, is published here. Assessed valuation of property in Cor- 
vallis for 1869, $374,347 79. 

CLATSOP county contains a population of about 1,200 j voters 
250 ; acres of land under cultivation, 3,000 ; value of assessable 
property, $325,000. Astoria, the county seat, is pleasantly loca- 
ted on the left bank of the Columbia river, about ten miles above 
its mouth, and about 100 miles northwest of Portland During 
the past year many additional buildings have been erected, and 
when the custom house now in contemplation has been com- 
pleted, Astoria will present quite a city-like appearance. Asto- 
ria derives its name from John Jacob Astor, whose employees 
founded a fur depot at this point on the 12th of April, 1811. 

CLACKAMAS county combines witbin its limits all the ele- 
ments that when properly developed tend to make a country 
prosperous. Immense water power exists along its river bank; 
the Oswego iron works, with its unlimited supply of ore, skirt it 
on the north, whilst its agricultural lands are extensive as well 
as excellent. Oregon City, the county seat, was formerly the 
seat of the Territorial .Legislature, and is the oldest incorpora- 
ted town in Oregon. All the merchandise and produce passing 
up and down the Willamette valley goes through Oregon City, 
and each year witnesses a marked improvement in its prospects. 
Its present population is about 1,300. A flourishing graded 
school is in operation, with an attendance of nearly 200 scholars. 
The population of Clackamas county is estimated at 6,000. 
Voters, 1,250. Value of assessable property, $1,532,9^4. Ore- 
gon City is the seat of a TJ. S. Land Office. 

COLUMBIA county is situated on the Columbia river, the 
boundary between Oregon and Washington Territory. This 
county contains a population of about 500. Number of voters, 
220. Acresof land under cultivation, 1,000. Value of assessable 
property, $167,245. St. Helens, the county seat, is pleasantly 
located on the bank of the Columbia river, and promises to be a 
place of much commercial importance. Lumber is extensively 
manufactured at this point, and during the past year the growth 
of the town has received quite an impetus. This county contains 
nearly 300,000 acres of unimproved land, some extensive, but un- 
developed, mines of coal and iron, and valuable salt springs. 



21 

COOS county, situated in the southwestern part of the State, 
on the coast, contains a population of about 1,200, with assess- 
able property valued at $432,273. Number of voters, 500. 
Gold, copper, iron and coal have been found to exist in this 
county, and the coal mines have already proved a source of 
great wealth. Lumber is manufactured extensively at North 
Bend, situate about ten miles from Empire City, the county 
seat. Ship building is also carried on in this county. 

CURRY" county, the most southwesterly portion of the State, 
contains a smaller population than any other county in Oregon. 
This may be accounted tor from the fact that it is remote from 
the tide of immigration which annually flows into the State. 
Indications of copper ore have been found within its borders, 
and gold mines have been discovered and worked at Port Or- 
ford, on the coast. Ellensburg, the county seat, is situate on 
the southern bank of Rogue River. Taxable property of the 
county, $110,494. 

DOUGLAS county contains an area of about 5,000 square 
miles. About 25,000 acres of land are under cultivation. The 
population numbers about 9,000. Yalue of assessable property, 
#1,474,704. Number of voters, 1,400. No county in the State 
presents a greater diversity of scenery than does Douglas. 
Roseburg, the- county seat, is a thriving town of about five hun- 
dred inhabitants. It is conveniently located on the direct stage 
route from Portland to Sacramento, and contains Episcopal and 
Methodist Churches, schools and a court house. A U. S. Land 
Office is located here. 

This county embraces the entire Umpqua Yalley, and is one 
of the best stock counties in the State. It contained in 1869, 
11,000 head of cattle, 160,000 sheep, and produced 480,000 lbs. 
of wool. The county expended the same year $4,294 on roads 
and bridges, and paid its school teachers $2,474 in currency and 
$3,044 in coin. 

GRANT county, situated in Eastern Oregon, contains a popu- 
lation of about 3,000. Number of voters, 750. This county 
contains large tracts of excellent grazing lands, and numerous 
sections of agricultural soil. Geld mines have been discovered 
within its borders, and good paying diggings are being worked 
very extensively. Canyon City, the county seat, is a mining 
town of considerable importance. It is situated on the middle 



22 

fork of John Day's river, and*is distant from Portland about 
314 miles. The county has about 3,000 acres of land under cul- 
tivation. Taxable property, $321,604. Its estimated yield of 
gold since the discovery of the mines in 1861, is $10,000,000. 

JACKSON county covers an area of about 8,000 square miles, 
with a population of 6,000. Number of voters, 1,300. This 
County combines within its limits agricultural, manufacturing 
and mineral resources which will tend to render it in future of 
great importance to the balance of the State. For nearly 
eighteen years the gold mines of this country have been success- 
fully worked, and even now they yield sufficient to repay for 
the outlay of capital and labor expended in working them. 
Jacksonville, the county seat, is a prosperous place, containing 
within its corporate limits many handsome buildings. The 
Methodists, Catholics and other denominations have churches 
here, with several public and private schools. The sisters of 
the Most Holy Names have an academy for young ladies. This 
county embraces the whole of Eogue Eiver Valley. It has 
about 15,000 acres of land under cultivation Taxable property, 
$1,023,814. A fine woolen mill is in operation at Ashland. 

JOSEPHINE county covers an area of 2,500 square miles, 
with but four thousand acres under cultivation. The principal 
source of the wealth of this county arises from its gold mines 
which are annually being developed. Large tracts of good 
arable land are yet unoccupied in this county, and offer good 
homes to industrious settlers. Kirbyville, the county seat, is 
situated on the Illinois river, which flows through the Illinois 
valley, and is a lively town of growing importance. Taxable 
property, $212,553. Number of voters, 350. 

LINN county — one of the best agricultural districts in Ore- 
gon — covers an area of 1,400,000 acres. Population, 8,000. 
Number of voters, '2,308. Value of assessable property, $2,960,- 
694. Acres of land under cultivation, about 100,000. Albany, 
the county seat, is situated on the east bank of the Willamette 
river, about seventy-five miles south of Portland. It is pleas- 
antly located, and each recurring year adds to its population, 
wealth and importance. The town comprises several brick 
stores, a large number of frame buildings, a court house, which 
cost upwards of $30,000, two flouring mills, four churches, a 
college, public schools, and all the other accessories of civiliza- 



23 

tion. Two weekly newspapers are published at Albany. Har- 
risburg and Peoria are each prominent shipping points on the 
Willamette river in this county. 

LANE county covers an area of about 3,500 square miles 
and embraces within its limits some of the finest agricultural 
lands in Oregon. About sixty thousand acres of land are under 
cultivation in this county, and the value of taxable property is 
assessed at $1,769,780. Eugene City, the county seat, contains 
a population of about 2,000. It is situated at the head of steam- 
boat navigation on the Willamette river, and contains an indus-, 
trious and enterprising people. Among the public institutions 
of Eugene City may be mentioned a commodious court house, 
an academy and several public and private schools. The Catho- 
lics, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists and Methodists have 
each a church here. The office of the United States Surveyor 
General is at this place. The county extends from the summit 
of the Cascades to the coast, and covers the southern part of 
the Willamette valley. It has a population of about 8,000. 
Number of voters, 1,400. 

MAKION county covers an area of nearly 3,000 square miles. 
Its central position, excellent soil and commercial advantages 
renders Marion county one of the most prosperous portions of 
Oregon. Salem, the capital of the State and the county seat, is 
delightfully located on the east bank of the Willamette river, 
presenting a handsomer appearance than any other town in 
Oregon. This county has a population of 10,500. Voters, 2,500. 
Value of assessable property, $3,174,919. Salem can boast of more 
church edifices than any town of its size on the Pacific coast. 
The religious organizations represented by churches, are the 
Methodists, whose first building was erected in 1841; Congre- 
gationalists, organized in 1853 j Baptists, organized in 1859. 
The Catholic, Episcopalian, Campbeilite, Evangelical Associa- 
tion, and Methodist Church South, organized more recently. 
The Oregon Statesman, Willamette Farmer and Democratic Press 
are published at Salem. 

The Willamette University, the most prominent educational 
institution in the State, is located here. Salem is the seat of 
considerable manufacturing enterprise, having a woolen mill, an 
oil mill, several large flouring and saw mills and an iron foundry 
in successful operation. The assessed value of town property, 
for 1869, is $1,394,158, Population, 3,500. 



24 

MULTNOMAH county, although the smallest in size, is the 
wealthiest county in the State. Population, about 11,000. 
Number of voters, 2,500. Yalue of taxable property, $5,944,- 
766. This county is situated in the extreme northern pa^t of 
the Willamette Valley. It is bounded by the Columbia river 
on the north, and embraces within its limits, the triangle formed 
by the junction of the Willamette with the Columbia river. 

The City of Portland, situated in latitude 45° 30' north, and 
longitude 122° 27' west, the county seat of Multnomah county, 
and the commercial capital of Oregon, is also the depot whence 
the people of a region of country larger than New England and 
the Middle States combined, derive their supplies, including 
Eastern Oregon, and a large portion of the Territories of Idaho, 
Washington and Montana. The city is pleasantly located on 
the west bank of the Willamette river, twelve miles above its 
junction with the Columbia, and 110 miles from the sea, by the 
course of the river. It is located on a plateau which gradually 
ascends as it recedes from the river until it forms a range of 
hills at the western extremity of the city, from which may be 
seen the summits of several mountain peaks in the Cascade 
range, clothed in perpetual snow. 

Commercially speaking, Portland is the key to the entire Wil- 
lamette and Columbia river valleys, being the entrepot at which 
arrives all the merchandise, goods and wares of every descrip- 
tion consumed or required by the people of the vast territory 
drained by the Columbia and its tributaries. With convenient 
wharves and warehouses for reshipping and packing, trade radi- 
ates in every direction to supply the extensive mining, agricul- 
tural and lumbering districts of the State and surrounding Ter- 
ritories. 

The Willamette river is navigable to Portland, at all seasons, 
for sea going vessels. A line of first-class ocean steamships 
runs regularly between Portland and San Francisco, making 
three trips per month, and another line communicates regularly 
with "Victoria, on Vancouver Island, and the different towns on 
Puget Sound. Portland, by means of sailing vessels, enjoys 
direct trade with New York, Liverpool, the Sandwich Islands 
and China, affording advantages for the importation of foreign 
merchandise and for the exportation to distant markets of Ore- 
gon produce. 

Portland has a population, of about 10,000 inhabitants. Water 



25 

is supplied to all parts of the town, by means of extensive water 
works, at low cost, and of the best quality. The streets and 
public buildings, churches &c, are lighted with gas. The city 
has five public schools and eight select schools and seminaries. 
It has sixteen churches, three Masonic associations, four Odd- 
Fellows' associations, three Lodges of the Good Templars, 
six Benevolent associations, and a Library of 4,000 volumes. 
Portland is the headquarters of the Military Department of the 
Columbia, with its various staff departments, and the United 
States, Circuit and District Courts, for the district of Oregon, 
are held here. 

The Fire Department of the city consists of 225 active mem- 
bers j — two steam fire engines, two hand engines, one hook and 
ladder truck, hose carts, etc. The city has thirty-six cisterns, 
with a capacity of 600,000 gallons, as a provision against fire. 
Portland is said to have the best and cleanest streets of any 
town on the Pacific coast. Its improvements of this kind are: 
30,565 square yards of Nicholson pavement; 28,217 linear feet 
of planked street; 12,040 linear feet of plank gutters; 169,994 
linear feet of plank sidewalks. The court house building, Odd 
Fellows temple, Methodist Church and bank building of Messrs. 
Ladd & Tilton are structures that would be considered a credit 
to any city, large or small. 

The following table shows the assessed value of the taxable 
property of the city for the past five years, together with the 
rate of taxation levied each year. 

Taxable property. Rate of Tax. 

1865 ...$3,771,575. 12 mills. 

1866 4,186,177. 4* " 

1867.. 4,271,100. 8 " 

1868 4,519,061. 9 " 

1869 5,144,062. 10 " 

The following statistics are condensed from a semi-annual re- 
view of the business and commerce of Portland for the latter 
half of the year 1869, published in the Daily Oregon Herald, Jan. 

23d, 1870. 

Summary of the City Auditor's Report for the year 1869. 

In Treasury, January $14,000 42. 

Receipts.— General fund - 39,788 27. 

" Special fund 29,370 62. 

" Street fund 37,469 89. 

— r- $120,629 20. 

Paid.— Warrants.— General fund $38,136 80. 

" ' Special funds 21,486 16. 

Street funds 38,201 85. 

" Coupons for interest (special) 2,820 00. 

Loan out, of Building fund 1|5,000 00. . 

On hand, in Treasury, January 1870 4,984 39. 

$120,629 20. 



26 

Shipments of Treasure to San Francisco during the year 1869. 

By Wells, Fargo & Co $2,559,000 00. 

" Ladd & Tilton 419,657 30. 



Total $2,978,657 30. 

Internal Revenue Receipts for the District of Oregon, during 1 the 
six months ending Dec* 31, 1869. 

(Collector and Assessor's office at Portland:) 

Spirits $22,104 74. Incomes , $110,152 47. 

Tobacco t 22,660 34. Legacies 243 41. 

Fermented Liquors 4,982 55. Succession , 760 20. 

Banks and Bankers 4,550 56. Billiard Tables 30 00. 

Gross Receipts 7,039 39. Carriages 713 00. 

Sales , 4,263 04.' Silver Plate 84 70. 

Special Taxes 25,567 19. Watches 1,066 75. 

Gas 313 83. 



Total $204,532 17. 

During the six months under review there were recorded at the County Recorder's 
office 448 Deeds of conveyances of real estate with an aggregate consideration of 
$599,901 10; and 127 Mortgages with an aggregate amount of loans of $164,130 71, 
exclusive of a Railroad Mortgage of $2,400,000. 

Table — Showing Sales in the City of Portland during six months 

ending Dec. 31, 1869. 

Trade., No. of Houses. Total. 

Dry goods ...' 5 $ 941,969 

Groceries 4 1,225,514 

Produce 3 378,279 

Tobacco 4 124,188 

Brooms. 1 5,505 

Liquors 6 148,657. 

Hardware 4 339,367 

Harness and saddles 3 16,408 

Sash, doors and blinds 3 43,354 

Bags and tents 1 17,712 

Confectionary 1 7,968 

Carriages and wagons 1 4.752 

Planed lumber 2 15,941 

Agricultural Implements 2 121,975 

Boots and shoes , 1 80,109 

Bakers, (bread, &c.) 2 14,879 r 

Pig iron 1 12,512 

Machinery 3 89,231 

« Drugs and medicines ( 2 131,118 

Auction sales 1 76,045 

Carpets 1 49,196 

/ Total , 51 $3,842,679. 

Consumption of Coal gas 3,036,900 cubic-feet. 

" Lumber ' 10,680,000 feet. 

Exports- to California. 

From the Statistics for the year 1869, published in the Daily 
Alta California, we are enabled to compile the following table, 
showing the amount of our exports of various products, to the 
port of San Francisco, from January 1st to December 31st, 1869, 
both inclusive : 



Articles. No. 

Barley, sacks .. 240 

Eggs, cases 10,516 

Salmon, barrels 3,792 

" half barrels 4,746 

" packages..... 22,130 

Flour, quarter sacks 576,280 

Apples (dried), barrels „ 274 

« " half barrels L 3,326 



• Articles. No. 

Beef, barrels , 1,305 

" half barrels 55 

Pork, barrels 965 

" half barrels 146 

" gunnies 14 

Bacon, " 593 

" packages' 3,924 

Hams, gunnies 15« 



27 



Apples (dried) kegs 1,926 

" (green) boxes 35,351 

Leather, packages 398 

Middlings, sacks , 7,568 

Oats, sacks 63,235 

Onions, sacks 1,440 



Bacon, packages 664 

Butter, " 1,197 

Lard, half barrels 439 

" kegs 3,151 

Rye, sacks 327 

Wheat, sacks 49,360 



The receipts of Lumber at San Francisco, during 1868 and 1869, respectively, were 
as follows : 

1868. 1869. 

From — No. feet. No. feet. Increase. 

Columbia river 5,481,000. 6,818,547. 1,327,547. 

The shipment of wool to San Francisco, in 1869, amounted to 1,039,400 pounds, 
whilst in 1868, it amounted to only 421,360 pounds ; showing an increase of 617,490 
pounds last year. 

The foregoing table exhibits the exports to California only. 
No information is at hand from" which a table of the exports to 
foreign countries can be made. In this connection it may be 
well to remark that the Willamette valley is the only part of Ore- 
gpn that exports its produce from Portland; the southern and 
Eastern part of the State market their produce in other direc- 
tions, and the lumbering establishments on the coast, ship to San 
Francisco direct. 

Table—Showing the number of Steamers and Sailing 1 Vessels arriving 
in the Columbia River during the years 1868 and 1869: 

1868. 

^ From foreign From native 

Rig. ports. ports. Total. 

Steamers 36 39 75 

Ships 1 ... 1 

Barks 1 36 37 

Brigs.. 6 6 

Schooners... 7 6 13 





1869. 




>m foreign 
ports. 
47 


From native 

ports . 

45 


Total. 
92 


1 


2 


3 


2 


33 


35 


2 


7 


9 


4 


12 


16 



Total 45 87 132 56 99 155 

Summary of Occupations in Portland. 

Accountants 59, Attorneys at Law 51, Advertising Agent 1, Assay Office 1, Auc- 
tioneer 1, Architect 7, Dealers in Agricultural Implements 3, Banking Houses 4, Bar- 
rel Factory 1, Booksellers and Stationers 3, Boot and Shoe Dealers 4, Boot and Shoe 
Makers 17, Boarding Houses 9, Bakeries 7, Brickyards 2, Broom Factory 1, Barber 
Saloons 10, Blacksmith's Shops 8, Box Factory 1, Baths 2, Breweries 5, Bookbinde- 
ries 2, Brokers 6, Bag Factories 2, Civil Engineers 2, Commission Merchants 11, Con- 
tractors 7, Claim Agents 3, Collecting Agents 5, Coppersmith 1, Coffee and Oyster 
Saloons 3, Clothing Dealers 6. Cigar Makers 2, Confectioners 3, Crockery Dealers 5, 
Coopers 3, Cheap John store 1. Carver 1, Cigar and Tobacco Dealers 16, Carpets and 
Paper Hangings 3, Cabinet Makers 2, Clothing Manufactory 1, Chinese Goods 5, Chi- 
nese Physicians 3, Dress Makers 17, Drugs and Medicines 7, Dancing Academy 1, 
Dyer 1, Dentists 4, Express Company 1. Electric Physician 1, Engineers 10, Editors 
6, Fish Markets 2, Furrier 1, Foundries 5, Fruit Dealers 5, Furniture Dealers 4, Feed 
store 1, Gas Works 1, Gas Fitters 3, Gold Dust Dealers 3, Gunsmiths 3, Groceries and 
Provisions 32, Hair Dressers 2, Hardware Dealers 4, Hat Makers 2, Hotels 14, House 
and Real Estate Agents 4, Insurance Agents 14, Junk stores 2, Betail Liquor Dealers 
47, Wholesale Liquor Dealers 6, Lime and Cement Dealer 1, Dicensed Draymen 13, 
Livery Stables 12, Leather and Findir gs 2, Retail Dry Goods Houses 27, Wholesale 
Dry Goods Houses 8, Lumber Merchants 4, Laundries 4, Match Factory 1, Meat Mar- 
kets 13, Mills 5, Midwives 2, Milliners 6, Musical Merchandize 2, Musical Instru- 
ments 1, Marble and Stone Cutters 2, Notary Public 15, Opticians 2, Ornamental 
Stucco Work 1, Picture Dealers 2, Produce Dealers 5, Pension Agents 2, Painters 10, 
Professors of Music 4, Piano Makers 2, Physicians 26, Photograph Galleries 4, Print- 
ers (Job-) 2, Publishers of Newspapers, &c, 8, Plummers and Gas Fitters 3, Re- 
packers 2, Real Estate Agents 4, Restaurants 7, Railroad Companies 2, Seed store 1, 
Sash and Door Factories 2, Salt Works 2, Saddle and Harness Makers 3, Stevedore 1, 
Stencil Cutter 1, Soda Water Manufacturers 2, Soap Factory 1, Stove and Tinwaie 
Dealers 6, Surveyors 2, Sewing Machine Agents 7, Merchant Tailors 6, Telegraph Of- 



28 

fice 1, Tannery 1, Toy and Fancy Goods Dealers 3, Spice Mill 1, Undertakers 2, Vin- 
egar Manufactory 1, Watch Makers and Jewelers 7, Wagon Materials 1, Wharfinger 
1, Wig Maker 1, Wood Dealers 4, Wine and Beer Bottler 1, Writing Teacher 1, Wagon 
and Carriage Materials 4. 

POLK county covers an area of about 1,250 square miles. 
Population 5,000. Number of voters 1,270. Taxable property 
$1,518,511. The county has about 100,000 acres of land under 
ccultivation. It is situated near the center of the Willamette 
Valley and is one of the best counties in the State. Dallas, the 
o unty seat, is situated on the Rickreal, a small tributary of the 
Willamette, and is a flourishing inland town. 

TILLAMOOK county, situated on the coast, covers an area 
of more than 2,000 square miles, but is very sparsely settled. 
Population 500; acres of land under cultivation 1,500; value 
of assessable property $59,273. County seat, Lincoln. 

UMATILLA county in Eastern Oregon, contains a population 
of about 2,500. Number of voters, 850. Acres of land under 
cultivation, about 20,000. Umatilla, the. county seat is a place 
of considerable trade, being the shipping point on the Columbia 
river from whence supplies are carried inland to the mining re- 
gions in eastern Oregon and Idaho. The county has an area of 
about 6,000 square miles, two thirds of it arable land. Taxable 
property $790,109. 

UNION county is situated in eastern Oregon, and contains 
within its buondaries large tracts of excellent agricultural and 
grazing land. Population about 4,000. Number of voters, 1,000. 
La Grande, the county seat, is situate in the valley of the Grand 
Ronde, a most fertile region, about 300 miles from Portland. 
The town contains about 800 inhabitants, a high School and U. 
S. Land Office. It is located on the main route of travel from 
the Columbia river to Idaho, and Utah. This county includes 
the whole of Grand Ronde Valley, containing 288,000 acres of ar- 
able land, 15,000 acres under cultivation. Assessable property 
$768,169. 

WASCO county is situated at the Eastern base of the Cascade 
range. Population aoout 3,000. Number of voters 609. -Assess- 
able property $905,704. Dalles city, the county seat, distant 115 
miles from Portland, is a place of considerable trade, all the mer- 
shandise intended for eastern Oregon having to pass thorugh it 
en route to its destination. A woolen mill has been put in opera- 
tion at this point, which will add materially to its progress. 
The Mountaineer, a well conducted weekly newspaper, is pub- 
lished at the Dalles. The United States Government is building 



29 
a mint at this place. Wasco is one of the best stock raising 
counties' in Oregon. 

WASHINGTON county contains a population of about 4,50t>. 
Number of voters, 803. Acres of land under^cultivation, 25,000. 
Value of assessable property, $867,265 This county embraces 
some of the finest agricultural land in the State, and is well set- 
tled by thrifty farmers, whose industry is amply rewarded. 
Hillsboro the county seat, eighteen miles west of Portland, is lo- 
cated upon the Tualatin plains, near a branch of the Tualatin riv- 
er This county has an area of 350,000 acres, nearly all arable 

land. The Pacific University is located at Forest Grove in this 

i 
county. 

YAMHILL county may be classed among the best agricultu- 
ral portions of the State. It contains a population of 6,000. 
Number of voters. 1,208. Acres of land under cultivation, 60,000. 
Value of assessable property, $928,825. Lafayette, the county 
seat, is located on the left bank of the Yamhill river, thirty miles . 
south-west of Portland. It is annally increasing in business and 
population. The other towns and post offices are Amity, Muddy, 
Mountain House, McMmnville, North Yamhill, Sheridan, West 
Chehalim, and Wheatland. This county raised 600,000 bushels 
of grain in 1869. The Yamhill river is navigable to McMmn- 
ville during high water The county contains about 500 square 
miles, nearly all arable land. 

MARKET FACILITIES, AND COST OF TRANSPORTA- 
TION. 

The Columbia River forms the northern boundary of Oregon, 
and is navigable to the mouth of the Willamette, 100 miles from 
the sea, at all seasons of the year, for sea-going vessels. Above 
the Willamette it is navigated by regularly established lines of 
river steamers, to Wallula, a distince of 240 miles, with two in- 
teruptions, one of 6 miles at the Cascades, and one of 14 miles 
at The Dalles, where portages are made by means of railroads 
forming connections with the boats. Above Wallula the Colum- 
bia and one of its tributaries, the Snake River, is navigated to 
Lewiston during periods of high water, a point in Idaho Terri- 
tory at the base of the Bitter Root Mountains, and over 400 

miles from the ocean. 

The Willamette River is navigable to Portland, 12 miles from 
its mouth, for ocean steamers and sea-going vessels : and above 
Portland for river steamers as high as Harrisburg at all seasons, 



30 

sand during high water as high as Eugene City, a distance of 200 
'miles from Portland, by the course of the river. The Yamhill 
and Tualatin rivers, tributaries to the Willamette, flowing from 
the west, are navigable during periods of high water to the in- 
terior of large agricultural districts situated in Yamhill and 
Washington Counties. 

The business of that part of Oregon drained by tftese waters 
engages the services of about thirty river steamboats. All 
points ot the Columbia from The Dalles down, and on the Wil- 
lamette from Salem down, are in daily communication with 
Portland. San Francisco is the principal market for the pro- 
ducts of the Willamette Valley, although a large trade exists 
with British Columbia and the lumbering districts of Puget 
Sound, and cargoes of wheat, flour and other Oregon products 
are often shipped to the Sandwich Islands, China, Australia, 
South America, New York and Liverpool, direct from Portland. 
Farmers, as a rule, dispose of their crops to the mills located in 
their own neighborhoods, or to dealers in Portland who ship to 
foreign markets on their own account. The price of most farm 
products in the Willamette Valley are regulated by the condi- 
tion of the foreign markets. Those markets, however, are nu- 
merous, embracing all the seaport towns in all the countries 
bordering the Pacific Ocean, so that notwithstanding wheat may 
be low in Liverpool, it might be high in China ; or if low in both 
these, it still may be high in South America. The outlet to the 
sea enjoyed by the region of country drained by the Columbia 
and its tributaries gives it an advantage in this respect over all 
sections in the interior of a continent. 

The following tables exhibit the cost of transportation for all 
classes of freight on the Willamette River, between four of the 
principal shipping points in the Valley and Portland, both for 
produce going down and merchandise going up j and also the 
rates for the different classes of freight between Portland and 
San Francisco, and on the Columbia Eiver : 

Flour Wheat Oats Applet Mdse up 

From per ton. per bush. per butth. per ton. per ion. 

Eugene City to Portland $7.50 .22* .14 $5.00 $14.00 

Corvallis " " 5.00 .15 .10 3.00 10.00 

Albany " " 4.50 .13£ .09 3.00 9.00 

Salem " " 4.00 .12 .08 3.00 7.00 

Flour, Wheat, Oats, 

3fdse., Feed per ton. 

Portland to San Francisco, Steamer $6.00 4.00' 

Sailing vessel... 3.75 3.75 

San Francisco to Portland, Steamer 8.00 

Sailing vessel... 4.00 



31 
Cost of Transportation on the Columbia. 

1st class. 2d class. Zd class. 

From Portland to the Dalles $15.00 $12.50 $10.00 

Umatilla 25.00 20.00 15.00 

Wallula SO. 00 25.00 20.00 

Lewiston 50.00 40.00 30,00 

Through bills of lading from San Francisco 

to Umatilla 30.50 25.50 20.50 

The freighting business on the lower Columbia is confined to 
lumber and fish principally, as farming is carried on along the 
river only to a small extent. The freight on lumber to San 
Francisco from all points below the mouth of the Willamette is 
$6 per M. feet, and on other commodities the same as from 
Portland. The marketing facilities for the valley of the Wil- 
lamette will be very much enlarged in the course of two or 
three years, by the completion of iwo lines of railway now in 
course of construction and extending from Portland south, one 
on each side of the valley, thus making three channels of com- 
munication through the valley to Portland — the river in the 
center and a railroad on each side. Twenty miles of the road 
on the eastern side is now in operation, and twenty miles of 
the one on the west side has been graded; both are to be pushed 
forward vigorously. 

The TJmpqua valley has less advantages in the way of mar- 
kets for produce than the Willamette. Although the river is 
navigated for a short distance, and affords a means of access for 
goods and merchandise to supply the wants of the people, yet 
as a route of transportation for getting to market heavy crops, 
it has thus far proved insufficient. Improvements, however, 
are being made in the river, and with the expenditure of some 
capital in that way the facilities for getting the crops of the 
TJmpqua to sea will be very much improved. Rogue Eiver 
valley is situated still farther from the sea-board than the TJmp- 
qua, and being entirely without navigable water of any kind, 
its only market is amongst the mining population in that part 
of Oregon and Northern California. The mines, however, fur- 
nish a good market as far as it goes. They have been sufficient 
to build up quite large and prosperous communities in the farm- 
ing districts depending on them. Stock-raising has become the 
principal reliance of these two valleys in Southern Oregon. 
Stock dealers from California, Nevada and Idaho visit them 
regularly every year and buy up the surplus of all kinds, paying 
cash for it, thus giving the farmer a market at his own door for 
everything that can be driven away. His bacon and wool, of 



32 

which the product is quite large, can be sent to market much 
easier than heavy grain crops when transportation is expensive. 
Douglas county in the year 1869 realized from the sale of its 
surplus live stock, bacon and wool, $600,000 in gold. The peo- 
ple of Coos and other counties, situated in the southwestern 
part of the State, on the coast, transact their business entirely 
with San Francisco. Coos Bay is the principal harbor ; lumber 
and coal the principal exports. Farmers in this neighborhood 
have a home market for their produce, and notwithstanding the 
richness of the soil and the large amount of farming land, the 
area under cultivation is so small that the coal mines and lum- 
bering establishments import every year large quantities of flour 
to supply their wants. 

In Eastern Oregon, the farmers have a home market in their 
own mining camps and new settlements, and those of the Terri- 
tories of Idaho and Montana. Consequently prices rule higher 
than in Western Oregon, excepting live stock, in which there 
is very little if any difference. The distance from the sea-board 
makes it somewhat expensive to market a crop in that direction. 
But owing to the large number of persons employed in the 
mines, and the small number of farmers, there is very rarely a 
surplus of farm products. Live stock finds a market not only 
in the mining districts, but in the surrounding States and Terri- 
tories and in British Columbia. 

MAKKET EEPOETS, COST OF LIYINC, &c. 

(From the Daily Oregon Herald, March 15, 1870.) 
Wholesale and Jobbing Prices Current at Portland. 

GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS. 

Alcohol— $2 35. 

Bean*— White 3i@4 c; Red 3£; Pink 3i; Bayos, 4; Butter 4. 

Candles — Adamantine Harkness' 22c; Grant's 19 @ 19£; Gross' 18; Emery's 
18@1S£; Schmidt's 18@18i; Macy's 18@18£; Patent Sperm 45@50; Parafein 35. 

Cider — Harrington's ^ gal. 75c; Jackson's 75c. 

Coffee— Costa Rica 20£@21; Java 25@26; Rio 19£@20; Kona 19. 

Cream Tartar — Hunnewell's 50c; Donelly's 45c; Venard's 45 @ 50 c; Smith & 
Davis' 52c. 

Farina— 3 @ 3J. 

Fish — Cod, Pacific, ll|; Eastern 15; Dessicated Cod per ft> 30c; Mackerel No. 1 
per hf bbl $16 75: do. No. 1 per kit 4 25; do. No. 1 mess per kit, 4 75. Salmon pickled 
hf bbl 5 50, bbl 950. Sardines qrs $2@2f ; hfs 3 25@3 75. 

Fruits (dried) and Preserver — Apples 4^@5^c; Peaches, new, 11 @ 12£c. Hun- 
garian Prunes 14@15 c. Raisins, boxes, $4 50; half boxes 4 75; quarter boxes 5. 
Zante Currants 17; Oregon do. 10@12. Citron 40. Peaches fresh, in tins, 4£@4f. 
Jams $5 50. Assorted Pie Fruits 4 25. Table Fruits 4 00@4 25. Jellies, in tins, 
5 50. Honey, in tins, 4 50. Green Corn, in tins, 3 50@4 00. Green Peas, in tins, 
4 25@4 75, Clams, in tins, 4 50. Lobsters, in tins, 3 50 @ 3 75. Oysters, Field's, 
3 50; McMurry's 3 75; Myer's 3 75; other brands 3 25@3 50. 

Hominy — 6 @ 6^. 

Macca'roni— No. 1, 2 50; No. 2, 2 00. 

Matches— California 2 00; Oregon 1 87£@2 00; Parlor 3 75.. 



33 

Molasses and Symps — -Hawaiian Molasses 25 cents ; do. Syrup, in kegs, 40 cents; 
Syrup, Pacific, 82i@87£, do. in lif bbls 77£@82^; do. bbls 72±a77* c; California, extra 
heavy golden syrup, kegs, 90«92£ c; do. bbls 77£rc82£ c. 

Nats— Almonds 30a35 c; English Walnuts 12}al4; Brazil 20; Filberts 20 c; Pea- 
nuts 16 c; Pecon 30 c; > 

Oils—- Olive 5 50or9 50, Linseed 1 loal 20; Sperm 2 50; Whale 60a90 c; Lard 1 85: 
Devoes', Downer's, Pratt's, other brands, Coal, 52J-o55 c. 

Pickles— California, hf gals., 4 75a5 00; quarts 8 25; English, quarts, 3 50. 

Peas, split, 1\ c. 

Pearl Barley— Ko. 1, 10 c; No. 2, 8 c. 

Provisions— Mess Beef pr bbl $18 00; Mess Pork 24 00; Hams, 13al5 c; do. 
sugar cured (Cross') 25 c, (Smith, Brasfield & Co's.) 20 o; Shoulders, 7«8 c: do. sugar 
cured (Crops') 11 c; Bacon, clear side, I3£al4 c; Lard, in tins, 13«t5; do., in barrels, 
12£al3 c. Butter, choice, 20 c; do., ordinary to fair, 16al8 c. Cheese, California, 
22 e; do. Eastern 24 c; do. Oregon 18 c; Eggs 20 c. 

Hice— China 6i'i6£. Patna 7$a'8 <*'• Hawaiian, 9al0 c. Batavia 6£a7 c. 

Saleratus — Babbit's 11 c. Barton's 9 « 9 i c. 

Salt—- Liverpool $42 50«45 00; Carmen Island 32 50a35 00- Bay 21 00; Ground 
Rock 21 00o22 50; San Quentin 30 00. 

Sago — 12£«15 o. 

Sauces — Worcestershire, pts, 7 00 itT j fl j . do h f. pL lj 50a4 75; Tomato Catsup, 
pts, 1 75; qts 2 25; Capers 4 60a5 O^^^eO*^^?^^^^^^. 

Soap— Castile, 16al7 c. Cheuyfe&l Sjjro TTUyat -4)tL f^awfwiia, pale, 1 50. Ore- 
gon 1 40 a 1 50. < N \ 

Soda-- Babbit's 11. Barton's 9}. Sal. 4£a5. Bi-Carb, kegs, dV 

Spices — Cloves 50 c; Cassia i6 2$u70 c; Nutmegs 1 25«1 37£; Mace 1 40al 50; 
Pepper, Grain, 30a32 c; MustarU, (fal., 1 40«1 62£; do. French, 2 50a2 75. Popper, 
ground, 1 50al 75; do. Cayenne V?^./vAllspice, ground, 1 50ai,""73; do. grain, 30 c. 
Ginger, ground, 1 50«1 75. ^\^^P/iif .«p/ 

Starch— Glenfield 19£a20. Corn, Wl4ffif5>ftfe^)osn^e;' Pearl 12|. Oswego, 
Kingsford's lOkalZ^. e ^**s-*^-^-« = ?* fr ' 

Sugars — Crushed, bbls, 15^; half bbls 15J; pulverized, boxes, 16J; kegs 16J c; gra- 
nulated I4£al5c; yellow C. ref. bbls, 12ial2|c; kegs 12Jal3c; Hawaiian Sialic; 
China none. 

Tapioca — 12£al5. 

Teas— Young Hyson 1 00al 50; Gunpowder and Imperial 1 25; Black 55cal 00; 
Japan 80nr90c 

Vermicelli— 2 00«2 50. 

Vinegar — California 47}; Oregon 30c. 

Yeast Powders— Preston <fe Merrill's $26 00; Donnolly's 25 00. 

Wood and Willow Ware, per nest — Pails, painted, 3 00a3 50, do. Cedar 4 50a5 00. 
Tubs, painted, 4 00a4 50; do. Cedar 5 50. Brooms, Oregon No. 1, 6 25; No. 2 5 25; 
No. 3 4 25. California No. 1, 5 50a6 00; No. 2, 4 50a5 00; No. 3, 3 50a4 00. 

PRODUCE. 

Feed, &c— Corn Meal per 100 3 50. Ground Feed per ton, 25 00. Bran 13 00. 
Middlings 22 00a25 00. 

i?W— -Extra 4 50r,5 00. Superfines 4 00. Fine 3 75. 

Fruits (Green) — Apples 1 00al 50 per box. Pears 50cal 00. Plums none. Peaches 
none. 

Grain— Wheat, white. 70«75c: red 70c. Barley ^ 100 lbs 1 25. Oats ^bbl40a45c 
Corn ^ bushel 1 00. Beans 3£«5c. 

Hay— Bailed ^ ton 12 00; Loose U 00. v 

Onions ^ lb 2£c 

Potatoes — Cal., none. Oregon l§f> bushel 40«50c. 

MrSCT.LLANEOUS. 

Agricultural Implements.— Haines' Headers $325 00. Sweepstake Tresher 500 00 
to R()0 00. Buckeye Mowers 140 00 to 160 00. Buckeye Mover & Reaper combined 
225 00. Buckeye Grain Drill 120 00. "Sattleys" and Skinner's Gang Plows 80 00a 
90 00. Cast-steel Plows 19 00-r20 00. "Moline," "Peoria,". "Galena", "Chicago" 
and "Boston Clipper" Steel Plows 14 00al8 00. Breaking Plows 25 00a40 00. Cul- 
tivators, various kinds, 10 00nl9 00. Garden barrows, 8 OOctIO 00. Wescott's Pat. 
Churns, 8 00ntl6 00. Bains' Wisconsin made Farm Wagons, with double box, brake, 
Ac. Ac, 175 00al85 00. 

Dags and Bagging — Burlap Bags 22x36 ea 12c; do. 23x40 13c; Dundee Gunnies 
16ic Linen, for Flour Bags, none. Burlap, ^ yard, 10£c 

Cement, <kc. — New Jersey 5 00. Astoria 4 50. Calcine plaster 5 00. Land plastar 
3 50, Santa Cruz Lime 2 75. San Juan Lime 2 50«2 75. 

Cigars— Havana per M $115 00^200 00. Swiss 22 00^35 00. Domestic 20 00*90 00. 

Drugs— Alum, bbls 6c. Borax Eastern 40a45c Blue Vitriol 13c. . Potash Ganiz 
1 lb can, per doz., 2 25. Rosin per bbl .8 O0al2 00. Saltpetro, kegs,-)16u25(i,. Sul- 
phur 8ial2ic 



34 

Dry Goods — Standard Drills 16Jal7i. Seconds Drills 14al4i. Sheetings, Standard, 
14iorl5i; do. medium lS^ali; do. light 12^«13. Houselining, 9i«10; do Blea. |, 7£ 
a 9; do. g, 10£al3i; do. 4-4, 13£a20. Cotton checks 15a25; Linen 25|«27. Cambrics 
10£alH. Cotton Flannel, blea, 16§a22; do. brown 15a20. Cottonades, light, 25a 
30; do. heavy, 37^a50. Denims 15a25. Hickory Stripes 15«25. Prints, Standard, 
llal2; do. seconds, 9£al0. Linseys, 20a37^. Ticks £, 16^a22; do. 4-4, 25a35. Bear 
Duck 27. Table Damasks, brown, 37irt62£; bleac. 50a87i. Diaper Linen 37£a50. 
Seamless sacks 37Ja45. Alpacas, blk, 27ia75. Water-proof Cloth 95al 25. Crash 
lliaU' 

Gunpowder, <fcc. — Dupont's, Hazard's and California, Rifle Powder, lflbeans, 
55c; ilb 65 c; Eagle Du^k No. 1, 2 and 3, per £ keg 4 50: hf keg 8 50. Blasting 
powder per keg 2 75; Valley Mills, 1 ft) cans, 50c; i ft) 60c. Dupont's Fuse, Double 
Tape, % M $18 00, single 15 00. 

Hardware — Hunt's Axes, per doz., $15 00al6 00; do. handled, 18 00. long handled 
Shovels 12 00al3 50. Ames & Ray's Shovels 16 50. Spades, long handled, 16 00a 
18 00: do. D. H., 13 00al8 00. Hay Forks, two tine, 7 00a9 00; do. three tine, 10 50 
al3 50. Manure Forks 14 00al5 00. Garden Hoes 9 00. Garden Rakes 10 00al4 50 
Spading Forks 15 00a20 00. Nails, cut, 5^c; do. wrought, 9c. Apple Pearers, Light- 
ning and Turntable, 10 00. 

Bides — Dry <p ft) lOallc; green, salted, 6 c; Deer Skins, l6al8c. 

Leather.— Oregon, sole, ^ft. 23a24 c. Harness 28a30 c. Skirting 29a31. Bridle, f, 
doz.., $36a42. Collar $27a30. Calfskins $24a36. Kip skins $45a57. Half Kips, or 
Wax Leather $27a33. Sheepskins 2 50a5 00. Topping 7 50a9 00, Santa Cruz, 
Sole, ^ ft) 26a28c. French: Calf Skins, ^ doz., $48a84. Kip Skins $75a96. Top- 
ping and Lining Skins $lla!2. Buckskins ^p ft), 60cal 00. 

, Lumber — Redwood boards and ceiling, 'p M feet, $50; in quantities over three M 
47 50. Eastern Lumber, Oak, Hickory and Ash Plank, 16a20c. per /foot. Street 
Plank 12 00. Sidewalk 12 00al3 Op. Assorted Rough 14 00al6 00; do. edged 18 50; 
dressed one side 22 00a23 50; do. two sides 28 50; do, four sides 33. Spruce ceiling 
and shelving 31. White Fir do. 31. Flooring — Tongued and Grooved 26 00a28 50; 
do. Dressed two sides 3l 00; do. Seasoned 31 00; do. do. Dressed two sides 36 00. 
Cedar fence posts, rough, 26 00; do. dressed 31 00. Lattice, ^ linear feet, fc. 
Picketing do. |c. Lath |M3 00. Shingles 2 50. Slab-wood ^ load 1 50. 

Metals — Iron; Scotch and English pig, per ton, none. Refined bar <p ft) 4^c; 
Sheet, 14 to 20, 7ic; do. 24 to 27, 9c. Oregon pig $41 00 at works. Copper: Sheath- 
ing 28 ft) 39c; do. yellow 39c; do. bronze 50c; do. old 15£c. Tin Plates: Plates Char- 
coal, IX per box 14 50; Plates IC char 13 00; Roofing Plates 12 50; Banca Tin slabs 
^ ft) 48c. Steel: English cast steel ^ ft) 18c. Lead: pig ^ ft 9 c; sheet 14c; pipe 
13c; bar 12c. Zinc: sheets ^ ft) 14c; babbit metal 30a50. Quicksilver 65c. 

Oregon Woolen Goods— Blankets, No. 1, 9 00; No. 2, 6 50; No. 3, 5 25; No. 4, 4 50. 
No. I, Indian stripe, 7 75; No. 2 do., 7 00. Gray 4 pt 5 75; do. 3 pt 4 75; do. 3 pt 
blk borders 3 75. Vicuna 4 pt 7 25; do. 3 pt 5 50. Green 4 pt 1 7 75; do. 3 pt 5 75. 
Blue 4 pt 7 25; do. 3 pt 5 50. Scarlet 4 pt 8 50; do. 3 pt 6 50. Travelling 8 00al0 00. 
Family, extra white, 14 00; No. 1, 8 50; No. 2, 7 00; No. 3, 5 50. White Flannels, 
37£a50e; plain ass. col'd, 40 c; twilled ass. col'd 45cr50c; Blue mixed 37£@45c; Fancy 
checked 40c; Hard times 90c; Doeskins, blk and col'd 1 00; Fancy cass. 1 00@1 25. 
Tweeds 65c; Yarns 1 00al 25; Oregon Shaker Socks 4 50. Terms, 90 days, less 3 <{& 
cent, for cash. 

Mope — I9c. 

Seeds— Red Clover 22£a25c. White Clover 75cal 00. Alfalfa Clover 22i«25c. Or- 
chard Grass 25a30c. Blue Grass 65a75c. Timothy I6al7c. Red Top 40a50c. 

Spirits — Whisky: Fine Bourbon, 2 50a4 50; Domestic l 25a2 00; Scotch and Irish 

4 00«5 00. Brandy: French 4 OOalo 00; Domestic 2 00a3 50. Gin: Holland 4 50 @ 

5 00; Domestic I 50 and upwards. Rum: Jamaica 4 50a5 00; Santa Cruz 4 50a5 00; 
Domestic l 50 and upwards. Pure Spirits 90col 25. Spirits vary in price according 
to quality; the above quotations give the range. 

Tobacco — Half ft>s Western |j& ft) 65a70c; hf ft>s Virginia 65a75c; pounds 12 inches 
hard pressed 70c«l 00; do. extra choice 1 00al 10; 9 in. light pressed 80cal 00; An- 
derson's solace chewing 11; Solar fine cut 11; Welcome, chewing plain 11; do. rolls 
11. Young America, fine cut 11; Cable Twist chewing 85cal 00 ^ ft); Dwarf Twist 
95cal 00 p ft.; Navy I, 1-5, £, ft), 70a75c ^ ft). 

Farmers' Price Current. 

The following are the prices paid to Farmers for goods purchased from the 
wagon, &c: 

Produce — Apples, green, ^ box, 75ca$l 00; do. dried, in kegs, ^ ft>, 4a4£ cents; 
Pears, green, ^ box, 75ca 1 00. Wheat, new white, ^ bushel, 65a70; do. red, 60a65; 
Oats 40 c; Corn Meal, W. W., $ 100 ft>s, 4 00; do. country, 3 50; Ground Feed, $& 
ton 20 00a25 00; Peaches, dried, m ft) 8c; Beans ^ 100 lbs, 3 00a3 50; Hay, baled, 

tton 10 OOrtll 00; do. from wagons, 10 00; Corn 1$ bushel 1 00; Bran 10 00al2 00; 
iddlings 18 00o26 00; Onions l£c $& ft)) Potatoes 40c. 



35 

Pro»f 5 ,W-Bacnn $ lb 12Jal3; Hams Jse; Shoulder, 6a7c; Lard, in tins, 111?; 
do.' gn,wnf| cioz! 5 ?<L * ^ %H **"* ^^ tokens, young, ® doz. 5 fij 
ItW; Hides and Furs-Wool $ lb 18«20c; Hides, salted, $ lb 6 c; do. dry, 9a 
lie Furs: Fisher 1 oUli 00; Fox. cross, 1 00«3 00; do. red 75c«l 00- Martin prime 
dark 2 50,6 00; do. pale, 1 00«2 50; Mink, dark, northern, LA 25 pie 25c" 1 Z] 
Muskrat 10c; Otter, prime dark, 1 75a3 50; Sea Otter 25 (HMO 00; Coon 124c: WiM 
black, 1 o0.*2 00; do. gray; 80cal 00; Wild Oat 25c; Skunk 12*; Fur Seal 1 50,2 50- 
Bearer, dark, ^ ft 75,80c; Bear, black, 2 00a5 00; do. Brown, 2 00,2 50; Cat 25c! 

Jknit ducks — ^jj doz. 4 00. 

Cattle Market. 

« Juf C s a , ttl l °S f ° 0t 6a7c ' < Mu T tton Shee P ® head 2 50< ' 3 00 - Fat Hogs, neat » ft 
6a6£c. btock Hogs, gross 4c. Veal Calves, neat per ft 7,S C . 

Retail Family Market. 

Li^«^T^ PP r eS ^ b /' X ^? 0@15 °- r^lisnone. Plums none. Oranges « doz 1 00- 

1C?^ d\, T^lan x?, e 'ir ed .^i 'Hv 8 l '» nul '^d 20c; do. yellow, California SuV Kefinery 
? i i> %! 1-, v 'tr 16C: d ° « d °- N °- 2 ' 12@13 C - IIeav y G " id * 11 S 3''up $1 00; Syrup £${ 

Pj f m ;n~ J > *"' £V'j Ce \ 40 @ 50c ' do - ^dinary to fair, 30@33. common 20@>5c Cheese 
Cal 30c. do. Las-tern 37^c; do . Uregol 05^31^; Hams, farmers' iSs, £ v ' fi %- John' 

do, Nik io@iiy 2 . g | ,s y ? °;.i:*^b d : fiSSW^f^MSSp^SM^ fto^ w %S£^d£^ f ^ 1 



GaW Ws. Oysters per 2 ibcan 37^@50e; do. 1 ftcan 25c; Lobsters per 2 fccan Cl^. 
do 1 beau 2a; Clams 50c ; Sardines per c^oc; . do. hf can 37^c SK (MStoTflfcJtffti 
37Hc; Green Beans ^c; To.natoe, 2 @3T^ ; Peaches 5<to; Pine Apple owe St,* wherries 
SmSS^. ; ApnCOtS 4U@50C; JellieS A""** in tj "« 60@75c, P do. in gQfl^fi&| 
r A £^^l7V^U^^ Dr ^ ,Sl,, ?'«* (Lea& Perrin's) 50 a 75; do. (Cutting's) 37Uc; Tomato 

Poultry &c Chickens # pair 1 25; Fowls grown '• 25; Ducks $ pair, tame 1 00 a 1 25. Geese 
Xontj Sarl^S'^^ 15 ^"^ ^^V^**^ UKtfbSBR 
aSfSf^' 8?^ ¥ ' d "- Z - ^ 00a3on ; Beets 2c; Onions 2^ a 4c; Carrots 2c; Turnips 2r- 

v / I , - V * °,° ? 2 U °i CucilIubei - «*WJ Green Onions $ doz. 75. Green Corn none 

do. sawed 16 00 a o 50; do. saWe<l and split 7 00 a 7 50; Oak, Dogwood iud V ine \1 Jle W 6 0- 
sawed 7 00; do. sawed and split 7 50 a 8 00. Ti P , T g ' U ' » 

The average cost of an army ration in the Department of the 
Columbia for the year 1869. was a fraction over 21£ cents, the 
supplies being purchased in Oregon and Washington Territory. 

Bents in Portland.— Dwellings oi eight or nine rooms, hard 
finished, with cellar, out-houses, water and all necessary conve- 
niences, $25 to 840 per month, according to locality ; dwelling of 
six rooms, hard finished, &c, &c, $10 to $15 per month ; tene- 
ment houses of six rooms, papered, $12 ; tenements of four rooms 
$8. Building lots 50x100 feet, in good situations, feell at from 
$1,000 to $1,500; building lots of the same size in the back part 
of town, $100 to $250. The cost of erecting a dwelling, one and 
al^alfstory, with six rooms hard finished, cellar, cistern, out- 
houses and fences would amount to $1,500 or $2,000. 

In the interior towns the cost of building lots and the range 



36 

of rents for dwellings is much lower, while the cost of buildings, 
depending a good deal on the price of labor, would vary but lit- 
tle from the above. Board at the principal hotels, in Portland 
is furnished at $6 per week; board and lodging (room furnished) 
$10 ; at the cheap hotels and boarding houses, mechanics and la- 
boring men obtain board at $4,50 to $5 per week; board and 
lodging $5 50 and $6. In the towns of the Willamette Valley 
the general cost of living is a little under that of Portland, if 
there is any difference ; while in Eastern Oregon it is considera- 
bly over it, particularly in the mining districts. 

The following are quotations of leading articles of produce and 
provisions at La Grande, Eastern Oregon, on the 19th of March: 
Dried Apples, 14al6c. Hams, 25a30c. Bacon, 20a23c. Shoul- 
ders, 18a20c. Lard in tins, 25c. Butter, choice, 45c ; ordinary 
to fair, 30a37J. Eggs, fresh, 25c. Feed — none in the market. 
Flour, extra, per bbl, $11 : superfine,$10 j fine, $9. Wheat, fair, 
$1 25 ; extra, for seed, $1 50. Oats, per lb, 2c. Onions, per lb, 

4a6c. 

PEICE OF FAKMING LANDS. 

In Western Oregon farms are of large size, generally 640 
acres — often twice that much — a natural result of the policy 
adopted by the General Government towards the early settlers. 
The settlements of the Willamette valley cover an area about 
equal to the State of Connecticut, but its population is only 
about 75,000 or 80,000. As a matter of course, only a small pro- 
portion of the land is under cultivation. Land is cheap because 
there is so much of it in proportion to population. To furnish 
the data from which an estimate may be made of the average 
price of farming lands, recourse is had to the books of the Board 
of Immigration, and of a prominent firm of real estate agents in 
Portland. 

On the books in the office of the Board of Immigration there 
are twenty-five farms offered for sale, at prices ranging as fol- 
lows : One at $25 per acre ; three at $20 ; one at $19 25 ; one 
at $14 25; one at $13; one at $12; two at $11 50; one at $10; 
two at $9 50 ; twp at $9 25 ; three at $7 50 ; one at $6 66 ; two 
at $6 ; one at $5 75; two at $4 50; one at $3 50; average, 
$10 94. The books of the real estate agents exhibit twenty 
farms for sale in Multnomah county, at an average price of 
$11 per acre, and twenty in Clackamas county, at an average 
of $8 per acre; highest price, $27 50; lowest, $3. In Yamhill 
county the same firm has ten farms for sale at an average price 
of $7 per acre \ highest, $18; lowest, $4; and in Washington 



37 

county they have forty-two farms, at an average rato of $7 50 
per acre. The above figures represent the value of farming 
lands in the northern and central part of the Willamette valley 
as nearly as it is possible to arrive at it. Unimproved, timbered 
lands, throughout the same region are held at from $1 25 to 
$4 per acre, except immediately around the city of Portland, 
aud perhaps some other towns, where the rapid growth of the 
town and increasing value of town property gives a value to 
adjacent lands for homestead and other purposes, much higher 
than for mere farming purposes. The wide range in the prices 
of the foregoing list is to be attributed mainly to difference in 
improvements. Of course, costly improvements add very much 
to the rate per acre, while a farm with cheap and temporary im- 
provements is offered at a price but little if any above the value 
of wild land. The distance from navigable water and facilities 
for marketing are also considerations that go to make up the 
value of a farm. No data is at hand from which to get an aver- 
age of the price of land in other parts of Oregon, but it is confi- 
dently believed that nowhere will it exceed the prices embraced 
in the foregoing list, and in most places it will fall below it. 

GOVERNMENT LANDS. 

The large valleys of Western Oregon were settled at first un- 
der the donation laws of 1850, which gave to each man of a 
family 640 acres of land, and to every single man 320 acres, in 
consideration of occupancy and cultivation for a period of years. 
This law expired in 1854, but was in force long enough for the 
finest lands in Western Oregon to betaken by the settlers under 
its provisions. The pre-emption and homestead laws of the 
United States were afterwards extended and applied to Oregon, 
which enabled subsequent settlers to obtain 160 acres each, so 
that the prairie lands of the three principal valleys are at the 
present time about all occupied. The rates at which these lands 
can now be purchased from the present occupants are given in 
another place in this pamphlet. While such are the leading 
facts relative to the prairie lands of the valleys, there are still 
good government lands to be had among the foot-hills each side 
of the valleys, and on the slopes of the mountain ranges. These 
slopes and valleys are more or less timbered, the uplands gener- 
ally with fir, pine and cedar, and the valleys and creek bottoms 
with a growth of ash, alder, maple and underbrush. The quali- 
ty of the lands even on the high ridges is superior to the aver- 
age farming lands of New England, and on the bottoms it is 
equal to any land in the world. The amount of land of^this do- 



38 

scription, in Western Oregon, still vacant and subject to be 
taken under the homestead and pre-emption laws, is greater 
than that comprises within the whole State of Massachusetts. 
There are several localities near the coast where several hun- 
dred families could settle in a bop!} 7 , on lands of the best quality, 
in a section and climate adapted to the growth of all classes of 
farm products, except corn. 

In Eastern Oregon the amount of government land still vacant 
is very large. The section of country known as the Klamath 
lake region, in the southwestern corner of Eastern Oregon, is 
as large as the State of .Rhode Island. About half of it is the 
finest kind of arable prairie land, the remainder good grazing 
and timber lands — all well watered. This entire section of 
country does not now contain over forty or fifty settlers. In 
the northern part of Eastern Oregon is a strip of high, rolling 
prairie land, ten or fifteen miles wide, skirting the northern 
base of the Blue Mountains, and extending from the Cascade 
Mountains to the eastern line of the State, a distance of one hun- 
dred and fifty miles. It is reasonably well watered; timber 
convenient on the adjacent mountains, and well adapted to grain 
growing, grazing aud dairying purposes. Its present number of 
settlers is very small. Vacant lands in large quantities are still 
to be obtained in Grande Eonde, John Day's, Harney Lake and 
Deschutes valleys, in addition to which there are hundreds of 
small valleys distributed throughout the vast territory known 
as Eastern Oregon, containing bottom land of the finest quality 
for farming, and hill and tableland unsurpassed for stock-raising 
purposes. 

The great majority of the vacant lands in Eastern Oregon 
still belong to the government. The exceptions are, in the 
case of the State of Oregon, which has located several large 
tracts under acts of Congress granting lands for certain specific 
purposes and grants given to two different inilitary road com- 
panies, of alternate sections for three miles each side of their 
respective roads. The land enuring to the roads under these 
grants is private property and will be sold at whatever it will 
bring; that belonging to the State is for sale, under an act of 
the Legislature, at $2 per acre, and the reserved sections of gov- 
ernment lands within the limits of the wagon road grants are 
subject to homestead settlement,^ the rate of 80 acres to each 
settler. All other government lands can be taken at the rate of 
one quarter section, or one hundred and sixty acres to each set- 
tler. 



39 

PRE-EMPTION AND HOMESTEAD LAWS OF THE 

UNITED STATES. 

"Pre-emptions." — Every person, being the head of a family, 
or widow or single man over the age of twenty-one years, and being 
a citizen of the United States or who shall have declared his inten- 
tions to become a citizen, is allowed by law to make a settlement 
on any public land of v the United States not appropriated or re- 
served. In the case of unsurveyed lands legal inception* by ac- 
tual settlement will take place, but no proceeding toward comple- 
tion of title can be had until after the land has been surveyed 
and the surveys returned to the District Land Office. The settler 
is obliged to erect a dwelling, occupy and improve the land and 
make it his or her home. But no person can obtain the benefit 
of more than one pre-emption right, and no person who is the 
owner of 320 acres of land in any State or Territory, or who 
shall abandon his residence on his own land, to live on the pub- 
lic land, can acquire any right of pre-emption. Where the tract 
on which settlement is made has once been offered at public sale, 
a declaratory statement as to the fact of settlement must be 
made at the Land Office within thirty days from the date of set- 
tlement, and within one year from that date, proof of residence 
and cultivation must be made and the land paid for. Where the 
tract has been surveyed but not offered at public sale, the claim- 
ant must file his statement within three months from the date of 
settlement, and make proof and payment before the day desig- 
nated by the President for the public sale of the lands. 

The quantity of land allowed to one settler by pre-emption, is 
one quarter section, or 160 acres, and the price to be paid, is 
$1 25 per acre, except in the case of alternate sections embraced 
in any railroad reservation, which is $2 50 per acre. 

Should the settler die before establishing his claim within the 
period limited by law, the title may be perfected by the execu- 
tor, administrator or one of the heirs, by making the requisite 
proof of settlement and paying for the land. 

In the case of a settlement made on unsurveyed lands, the 
claimant must file notice of settlement within three months af- 
ter the receipt of the township plat at the District Land Office, 
and make proof and payment as required in the case where sur 
veys had been made previous to settlement. 

" Homesteads." The Homestead Law gives to every citizen 



40 

of the United States or foreigner declaring his intention to be- 
come such, the right to a homestead on surveyed lands. This is 
conceded to the extent of one quarter section, or 160 acres, of 
land not embraced within the'limits of railroad or other reser- 
vation, or 80 acres, when the location is made on alternate sec- 
tions embraced within such reserves. To obtain homesteads the 
party must make affidavit that he is the head of a family, or, a 
single man over twenty one years of age, that he is a citizen or 
has declared his intention to become one, and that the location 
is made for his exclusive use and benefit for actual settlement 
and cultivation. The fees and expenses connected with the I 
tion of a homestead in Oregon are $22,00 when the f" 1 
of land is taken, or $11,00 if half the quantity v v 
located. On making the affidavit before tih 
ment of the fees, a duplicate receipt w v 
an inceptive right in the settler, and u a 
the law, which requires continuous sei 

for the period of five years, and upon pro - fact 

to the Land officers within two years after -*s expired, 

certificates will be issued as a basis of a cc ^ce title to the 
land. 

Where a homestead settler dies before the consummation of hip 
claim, the heirs may continue the settlement and obtain ti 
upon requisite proof at the proper time. 

A homestead settler cannot sell his claim until aft r 
is complete, but he can at any time relinquish his 
rendering his receipts, after which he is not allow 
other settlement under the homestead law. 

A settlement made under the pre-emption law may ; 

to a homestead entry, if no adverse right intervenes. _, 

If the Homestead settler does not wish to remain five years 
on his tract, the law permits him to pay for it with cash, at the 
prescribed rates for claims taken by pre-emption, and upon proof 
of settlement and cultivation from date of entry to time of pay- 
ment. 

Lands obtained under the Homestead laws are exempt from 
liability for debts contracted prior to the issuing of a complete 
title by the government. 

Another method of obtaining government lands is by " private 
entry" and applies only to such lands as have been offered at 
publie sale and remain unsold. In this Case payment in cash or 
land warrants can be made at once and a complete title obtain- 



41 

ed without delay, other than the time necessary to transmit the 
papers to the G-eneral Land Office and receive the patent in re- 
turn. The price of land at "private entry" is §1,25 per acre, 
except in the case of reserved sections; that is $2,50 per acre. 
At cash entry any quantity can be taken that is desired. In 
Eastern Oregon there is no land subject to "private entry" but 
there is a large amount of it in Western Oregon. 

There are three Land Offices in Oregon for the transaction of 
business connected with the disposal of government lands ; one 
at Oregon City, in the Willamette Yalley ; one at Eoseburg, in 
the Lmpqua Valley, and one at LaGrande in Grand Eonde Val- 
ley. 

STOCK EAISING. 

The facilities which exist in Oregon for raising stock have 
been mentioned heretofore in connection with the soil and cli- 
mate. But in order to illustrate those facilities more clearly, 
reference is had to the statistics of the Government contained in 
the census reports of 1860 ; and a comparison drawm between 
the cost of raising stock in Oregon, on the Northwest coast, and 
in Maine, on the Northeast coast of the United States, both 
States fyeing situated in about the same latitude. Maine pro- 
duced in 1860, 975,716 tons of hay, feeding 890,148 head of stock, 
embracing horses, cattle and sheep. Oregon the same year pro- 
duced 26,441 tons of hay, feeding 267,025 head of stock. The 
average consumption of hay for each animal in Maine was 2,197 
pounds, against 197 pounds consumed in Oregon. Estimating 
the hay to be worth $6 per ton, the cost of wintering an animal 
in Maine was $6 59 ; in Oregon 59 cents, a difference of $6 per 
head. The animals in Maine were worth $15,437,533, or $17 34 
each. The stock in Oregon was worth $6,272,892, or $23 49 
each ; a difference of $6 15 per head, to which add the difference 
of $6 for feed, and the result is $12 15 net value in favor of each 
head of stock owned in Oregon that year, over and above the 
net value of each head owned in Maine. 

The difference would be greater even than this if the expense 
and labor of housing, and feeding out the hay were taken into 
account; and when it is remembered that hay does not consti- 
tute the entire feed of stock in cold climates, but that grain, 
straw, rutabagas, etc., form an important item, the disadvantage 
under which Maine labors appears still worse. The discrepancy 
is not so great in the case of some of the States of the Mississippi 



42 

Valley j but even there, it is an undetermined question whether 
the cost of raising stock does not exceed its value when ready 
for market. 

The following are the prices of live stock in the Willamette 
Valley April 1st, 1870, as near as can be ascertained : Saddle 
horses, $80 to $100 ; ordinary work horses suitable for farm 
work, $100 to $125 : stage horses, $100 to $150 ; draught horses, 
$150 to $200 ; good carriage horses $200 ; team mules, $250 to 
$350 a pair; work cattle per yoke, (an average) $100; milch, 
cows, $40 to $50 for good ones; two year old heifers, $20 to $30; 
yearlings $12 to $15; sheep, $1 50 to $2 50; Beef cattle, per 
pound, net, 6? to 7 cts.; fat hogs, 7 cts.; Mutton sheep, $2 50 to 
$3 50 a piece. 

In other parts of the State prices do not vary materially 
from the above, except that in and around the mining camps 
they are a little higher. 

To give an idea of what is now being done in this branch of 
industry we append an extract from an article on the "Kesources 
of Oregon," written by the present Editor Of the Portland Even- 
ing Commercial, a gentleman thoroughly informed on the subject 
of which he writes : 

"Much attention is given to the breeding of thoroughbred and good blood stock in 
Oregon — horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs, and in the Eastern division of the State, to 
the breeding of fine mules also. Noted sires and dams have been brought from Ken- 
tucky and other States to improve the already good native stock of horses, and from 
these have sprung splendid racers, fast trotters and roadsters, and carriage and draft 
and work horses of such quality as to command the highest prices in the horse mar- 
kets of California and Nevada. Durham and other famous breeds of cattle have been 
brougnt from Illinois, New York and New Jersey ; also the best breeds of Spanish 
and French Merinos, Cotswolds, Southdown, and other celebrated or favorite sheep, 
from Vermont, New York. England and Australia, for wool and mutton both ; and 
White Cheshire, Essex and Berkshire hogs, are to be found throughout the State, 
imported direct from England or the East." 



Rate of Wages 

Bakers, per mo. and bd...$40 00 to 

Bar Tenders, per mo 60 00 to 

Barbers " 60 00 to 

Blacksmiths, per day 3 50 to 

Blacksmith's helpers 2 00 to 

Boiler Makers, per day... 3 50 to 
Book Binders, per week.. 

Book Keepers, per mo 75 00 to 

Boot Makers, piece 4 50 to 

Bricklayers, per day 5 00 to 

Brick Makers per mo. &bd 40 00 to 
Brick Moulders, " 70 00 to 
Brewers, " ..75 00 to 
Broom Makers, per mo... 65 00 to 
Butchers, per mo. and bd 
Cabinet Makers per day... 3 0^0 to 
Carpenters " ... 3 00 to 
Carriage Makers " ... 3 50 to 
Carriage Painters " ... 3 50 to 
Carvers, per day ti.i 4 00 to 



at Portland— in Gold Coin. 



60 00 

100 00 

90 00 

5 00 

2 75 

5 00 
25 00 

100 00 
7 00 

6 00 
60 00 
80 00 

100 00 
90 00 
50 00 

3 50 

4 00 
4 00 

4 00 

5 00 



Clerks, pr mo 

Coachmen, per mo. & bd.. 
Confectioners, " '/ .. 
Cooks, " 

Coopers, piece work, for 

Pork barrels 87c. 

Fish " 75c. 

Butter Kegs 50c. 

Coppersmiths, per day.... 
Curriers & Tanners, per 

month & board 

Deckhands, per mo. <fc bd 

Dish Washers, " 

Door & Sash Makers, per 

day....... 

Draymen, per day 

Druggists, per month 

Engineers, per mo. & bd 
Farm hands, " *' 

Firemen, " " 



$50 0,0 to 75 00 

30 00 to 40 00 

60 00 

30 00 to 75 00 






»to 6 00 



65 00 to 85 00 
40 00 to ' 50 00 
25 00 to 30 00 

3 50 to 4 00 

2 50 to 3 00 

75 00 

70 00 to 100 00 

25 00 to 30 00 

50 00 to 60 00 



43 



Fishermen, '* " $25 00 to 40 00 

Do., experienced " " 50 00 to 80 00 

Gardeners, " " 30 00 to 40 00 

Gas Fitters, per day 3 00 to 3 50 

Grocers Help, pr mo. Abd 30 00 to 35 00 

Grooms, " " 30 00 to 40 00 

Harness Makers, per day 3 50 to 4 00 

Hod Carriers, " 3 00 to 3 50 

Iron Moulders, per day... 3 50 to 4 00 

Laborers " ... 1 50 to 2 50 
Laborers (on public work) 

per day 2 00 to 2 50 

Do., Railroads, pr mo. <fcbd 30 00 

Lumbermen, " " 30 00 to 45 00 

per day 2 50 to 3 00 

Machinists, " 3 50 to 4 00 

Marble Cutters, " 5 00 to 6 00 

Masons (stone), " 5 00 to 6 00 

Millers, per mo 75 00 to 150 00 

Millwrights, per day 4 00 to 5 00 

Nurses, per mo. <fc board 30 00 to 40 00 

Ox Teamsters, " " 40 00 to 50 00 

Ostlers & Teamsters " " 30 00 to 45 00 

Painters (House), per day 4 00 

Pattern Makers, " 3 50 to 4 50 

Plasterers, " 5 00 

Plumbers, «' 4 00 

Porters, per month fiO 00 to 75 00 

Printers, per 1000 ems 50 to 60 

" per week 20 00 to 25 00 



Salesmen, per mo $50 00 to 100 00 

Sailors, per mo. <fe bd 

Sawyers, per day 

" per mo. <fc board 80 00 to 
Stewards, " " 40 00 to 

Stone Cutters, per day 5 00 to 

Tailors, " 3 50 to 

Teachers( Country Schools), 

per month & board 30 00 to 

Do., large Schools, pr mo 75 00 to 100 00 

Tinsmiths, per day 3 50 to 

Truck Drivers, per month 75 00 to 

Upholsterers, per day 3 00 to 

Wagon Makers, " 3 00 to 

Waiters, per mo. & bd 25 00 to 

Watchmakers, per day... 4 00 to 

Watchmen, per month 50 00 to 

Wood Choppers, per cord 1 00 to 

FEMALE. 

Gen. Housework, pr mo. 

and board...., 20 00 to 

Nurses, per month & bd 
Cooks (in fam.), " " 
Chamber Work (hotel), 

per month & board 

Milliners, pr mo. <fc»board 

Seamstresses, per day 

Teachers, pe mo 35 00 to 

Dress Makers, per day... 
Washerwomen, " .... 2 00 to 



30 00 


4 00 


90 00 


50 00 


6 00 


5 00 


40 00 


.00 00 


4 00 


85 00 


4 00 


4 00 


3.0 00 


5 00 


60 00 


1 50 


30 00 


30 00 


30 00 


30 00 


50 00 


1 50 


50 00 


1 50 


2 50 



Nearly ail kinds of labor finds ready employment as a generaj 
thing. There are exceptions, however, in the case of certain 
kinds of mechanical labor, such as, Coppersmiths, Boiler Makers, 
Watchmakers, Bookbinders, and some others, for which a new 
country can offer employment only to a limited extent. Oat- 
door labor is interrupted more or less during the rainy season, 
on account of the weather. Good farm hands are always in de- 
mand. Carpenters, bricklayers, millwrights and mechanics of 
that class find steady employment for three fourths of the year; 
for the remainder, it is more or less uncertain, depending on the 
weather. The demand for bookkeepers, clerks, salesmen, bar- 
tenders and all that class of employments, is limited. Female 
house help finds constant employment at the figures named, in 
good families; and the supply is not near equal to the demand. 

In a general sense all kinds of manual labor can obtain em- 
ployment at fair wages, and those who are industrious, prudent 
and economical, do not often fail to get along well, even though 
there is some time lost during the rainy season. Good school 
teachers usually have no dfficulty jn obtaining situations; still, 
where the population is scanty, as it is in Oregon, the demand 
cannot be very great. 

The above rate of wages is intended to apply to Portland and 
vicinity, especially ; with some trifling variations, the rates will 
hold good throughout Western Oregon. In Eastern Oregon 



44 

some classes of labor rates considerably higher. For example, 
farm hands, in the neighborhood of the mining camps receive 
ordinarily from $30 to $40 per month and board ; and laborers 
in the mines, during the mining season command from 3 00 to 
$5 00 per day. 

MI1NEKAL KESOUBCES. 

The first gold mines were discovered, in Oregon, in 1850, in 
Jackson and Josephine counties, in the southern part of the State. 
Some years afterwards quite extensive placers were opened in 
Douglass county on the tributaries of the Umpqua river. All 
these yielded immense returns for the first few years, and afford- 
ed employment to a considerable proportion of the gold hunting 
population that found its way to the Pacfic Coast in the early 
times of California. At the present time these placers, although 
skimmed over, and stripped by the labors of more than half a 
genertiaon, of their surface wealth, still form no insignificant 
part of the natural resources of the State. Fully one fourth of 
the population of those districts are engaged directly in the 
occpation of mining, and not less than three fourths are depend- 
ent in some way, directly or indirectly, on the annual yield of 
the placers for their success in business. The yield of gold 
from the mines of Southern Oregon, for the past ten } r ears can- 
not fall short of an average of one million per annum. It is a 
cash market, at home, for the farm and dairy products of almost 
the entire southern part of western Oregon. A season of un- 
common depth of snow in the mountains, and consequently; of 
high water in all the creeks and streams, during spring and early 
summer, makes flush times, not only with miners themselves, 
who rely on the fall of snow or rain to fill their ditches and 
carry on their washings, but to the farmer, merchant, and me- 
chanic, who supplies the miner with the necessaries of life. 
Ten years ago, it was said that, these mines were exhausted, 
but they have yielded ten million dollars since then,. and stiil 
hundreds of men find profitable employment in working them. 
New placers are found occasionally; old ones that had been 
carelessly skimmed in the feverish haste of the early mining 
days are being re-opened and often made to yield as well as at 
first, by means of better appliances for saving the gold. 

Gold mines were discovered *in Grant and Baker counties, in 
Eastern Oregon, in 1861, and have been worked continuously 
•every year since then. Like the mines of Southern Oregon, 
they are mostly placers, located on the bars, banks and in the 
"be&S'Of streams, and depend on heavy snows in the mountains 



45 

and an abundance of water for successful working. They fur- 
nish constant employment to something like two thousand men. 
Like the mines of Southern Oregon, they are said to be worked 
out, still they ship to San Francisco every year over a million 
dollars in gold dust. 

There can be no doubt that the cream of the placer mines has 
been taken. Rich strikes, once common in all the mining dis- 
tricts, are now of very rare occurrence. Big fortunes are not 
made in a day in the mines, any more than they are anywhere 
else ; but still, laboring men find profitable employment in them. 
Industry and economy are all that are necessary in mining, as 
well as other avocations, to acquire substantial competence. 

Coal mining is carried on at Coos Bay to a considerable ex- 
tent. The principal vein at that point extends along a ridge 
bordering the bay, convenient of access for twelve or fifteen 
miles, and is being worked at present by two companies. The 
coal is a good quality of soft or bituminous coal, and finds ready 
sale in San Francisco. Yessels are constantly loading at the 
mines and departing for that market. The coal deposit has been 
worked about fifteen years, and promises to be inexhaustible. 
Coal of the same variety has been found in large quantities at 
several other points on the coast. At Port Orford and Yaquina 
Bay attempts on a small scale, have been made at mining and 
marketing it, generally with indifferent success, for want of suffi- 
cient capital. Near St. Helens, on the Columbia River, an extensive 
bed of coal has been discovered, and a small amount of work done 
towards opening and developing it. Deposits have also been 
found in Clackamas, Clatsop and Tillamook counties as well as 
in the adjoining counties of Washington Territory, all of which 
promise, from their extent, quality and conveniences for ship- 
ping, to afford profitable employment for labor and capital at no 
distant day. 

Extensive beds of iron ore exist at several points in the North- 
western part of the State. At Oswego, six miles above Port- 
land, on the banks of the Willamette river, the Oregon Iron 
Co. has erected works for reducing the ore of an extensive de- 
posit in that neighborhood. The works of this Company, al- 
though of small capacity, have supplied the foundries of the 
State with pig iron for the past three years and shipped consid- 
erable quantities to the San Franciseo market besides. The 
iron is of very fine compact grain, superior for most kinds'of 
work to the best Scotch pig. 



46 

Notwithstanding the value to the State of its gold placers, 
and the attractions they may have formed to previous immigra- 
tions, there can be no question now, but that the future mineral 
wealth of Oregon is in its resources of coal and iron now hidden 
in the mountain ranges. Taken in connection with the great 
productiveness of the soil, the great quantity of timber on every 
hand, and other conditions that adapt the State to general man- 
ufacturing purposes, and this vast supply of mineral wealth as- 
sumes a peculiar importance. But Oregon has not had time to 
accumulate the capital necessary for the development of either 
her mineral or other resources, Situated in a far-off corner of 
the United States, remote from the centres of population and 
routes of travel, immigrations hither have generally been 
prompted by the inducements offered for making permanent 
homes in the rich valleys for an agricultural people. The peo- 
ple of Oregon came here poor ; a large number of them brought 
their families from the Mississippi to the Willamette, overland, a 
distance of 2,500 miles, in ox teams. They have not only made 
a settlement on the confines of the continent, but have subdued 
the wild forces of nature and still wilder savages, and laid the 
foundations of a great State. To develop its natural wealth, 
time is necessary, and capital and population must be accumu- 
lated. 

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS. 

In the various branches of manufacturing industry Oregon 
has barely made a commencement, notwithstanding her great 
capacities in that line. The leading manufacturing establish- 
ments now in operation are six woolen mills, located as follows: 
One at Oregon City, one at Salem, one at Brownsville, one at 
Dallas, one at Ashland and one at the Dalles; an oil mill at 
Salem ; a paper mill at Clackamas, together with quite a large 
number of flouring mills. The Willamette woolen mills, located 
at Salem, the oldest and largest of that class of establishments, 
consumes annually about 400,000 pounds of wool and employs in 
the neighborhood of one hundred hands regularly. The blank- 
ets, flannels, cassimeres and other goods made by this and simi- 
lar establishments in the State have been put on exhibition in 
Eastern cities repeatedly, always eliciting the highest praise, 
anxl frequently taking premiums at the industrial fairs of other 
States. The cost of manufacturing these goods is low enough 
to cause them to enter very largely into general use, not only 



47 

in Oregon, but in Idaho, Montana and Washington Territories, 
excluding to a great extent imported goods from these markets. 

The Pioneer Oil Mill, at Salem, manufactured 60,000 gallons 
of linseed oil last year, and expects to turn out 100,000 gallons 
in 1870. It is in contemplation to establish a linen factory in 
connection with the oil mill, as farmers are turning their atten- 
tion to flax growing. It may reasonably be expected that this 
branch of manufacturing industry will become an important one 
in a few years. 

The Clackamas Paper Mills are confined to the manufacture 
of straw, manilla, hardware and news paper. The mills have a 
capacity of two thousand pounds per diem with twenty-five 
hands, The ordinary running force is from twelve to fourteen 
hands, producing one thousand pounds a day, of an excellent 
quality, which finds ready sale in a home market. 

Among the large flouring mills of the State may be enumer- 
ated the Standard Mills, at Milwaukie, the Imperial Mills, at 
Oregon City ; the Salem Mills, at Salem, and the Magnolia 
Mills at Albany. These have a capacity of from 300 to 500 barrels 
of flour every twenty four hours. A great many others scattered 
throughout the farming districts of the state, of smaller capacity 
supply the necessary facilities for converting into flour, and 
marketing the wheat crops of their respective neighborhoods. 
The estimation in which Oregon flour is held in San Francisco, 
may be inferred from the following extract taken from a late 
number of the Commercial Herald of that city. 

"The arrivals of Flour and Wheat from Oregon continue liberal, as will be found 
elsewhere detailed. The better brands of Extra which reach us from our sister State, 
enter largely into the local trade of the city. Many of our bakers, hotels and large 
consumers giving it a preference over all others, simply by reason of its strength, hav- 
ing more gluten, and therefore requiring more water in its preparation, making a lar- 
ger loaf, and consequently esteemed more profitable." 

Among the minor but equally important branches of mechani- 
cal and manufacturing industry, are sash, door and other wood- 
working shops, tanneries, distilleries, carding machines, foun- 
dries and machine shops; all of these calculated merely, to sup- 
ply the local demands. The iron foundries and machine shops 
of Portland have excellent facilities for supplying the wants of 
the country with all articles in that line, but nothing is manu- 
factured for export. 

The resources of the state in timber, iron ore and coal togeth- 
er with the wonderful fertility of its soil and the great amount 
of water power, should make Oregon a great manufacturing 
State. The climate is adapted to wool growing to a degree equal 
if not superior to that of any other State, yet fully one half the 



.48 ' 

wool crop goes to San Francisco to market every year, notwith- 
standing the manufacture of woolen goods has received more 
attention from the people than any other class of manufactures. 
The few small tanneries at work in different parts of the state 
do not near supply the country with leather. Large numbers 
of hides are shipped to San Francisco annually and leather for 
the ordinary wants of the people imported, which by the intro- 
duction of labor and capital could be made at home; for the 
hemlock and other bark produced in enormous quantities in the 
Oregon mountains, has no superior for tanning purposes. Al- 
most all the agricultural implements in use are imported from 
New York, yet all the raw material is here in great abundance 
for their manufacture. 

The growth of the country and the expansion of the agricul- 
tural interest from year to year, increases the demand for near- 
ly all manufactured articles; but like all new countries in this 
respect, manufacturers are of slow growth, and must wait for 
the necessary capital to be accumulated or the introduction of 
it from other quarters. 

LUMBERING RESOURCES. 

It has already been stated that the mountain ranges of Ore- 
gon are heavily timbered. But that term, in the sense in which 
it would be used in nearly all the Eastern States, conveys no 
adequate idea of the immense forests which clothe the Cascade 
and Coast ranges of mountains. The principal lumbering estab- 
lishments are located on the Columbia river below the junction 
of the Willamette, and at various points on the coast, where in- 
lets, bays and arms of the sea, provide safe anchorage for small 
craft, and where the forests are easy of access from navigable 
water. In the interior of the State are many small mills erected 
for the purpose of supplying their own immediate neighborhoods, 
conducted solely with reference to that object. 

The varieties of timber adapted to general lumbering pur- 
poses, are, the red, white and yellow fir, cedar, spruce, hemlock, 
and in some parts of the interior pine and larch. The yellow 
fir is the main dependence for all purposes requiring strength 
and elasticity. It enters into general use for building, fencing, 
bridges, wharves, piles, spars, and ship timber. Cedar is used 
for finishing material, for posts, and in foundations where it will 
come in contact with the ground, on account of its durable qual- 
ities in such situations. An excellent: quality of ash is obtained 



49 

along the streams and on the low lands in western Oregon, 
suitable for many different mechanical purposes; but there is 
no hickory or other timber suitable for wagon and carriage work. 
All that kind of timber used is imported from the Atlantic sea- 
board, although oak of a fair quality can be procured in places. 
Maple and alder are abundant and of good quality for cabinet 
work, for which they are used almost exclusively. 

Lumber, like other Oregon products, finds its principal mar- 
ket at San Francisco, and in the southern part of California. 
The agricultural portions of that State are destitute of timber. 
The cities and coast valle} r s particularly, rely entirely on the 
saw mills of Oregon and Washington Territory for building, fenc- 
ing, wharf, bridge and ship timber. In addition to San Francisco, a 
l&rge market for Oregon lumber exists at the sea-ports of 
Mexico, South America, Sandwich Islands, China, Japan and 
Australia. Cargoes of lumber have been shipped from the Col 
umbia River to New York and Liverpool with profit. Consider- 
ing the rapidly increasing demand for lumber ami timber of all 
descriptions, at all these places, it is safe to presume that the 
market for Oregon lumber will continue to be good; and consid- 
ering the approaching scarcity of the article in what has been 
hitherto considered good timber countries, the great supply in 
the forests of Oregon and Washington Territory, together with 
the natural advantages for marketing commanded by lumber- 
men there, will put all thought of serious or dangerous compe-. 
tition out of the way. 

Extensive lumbering establishments are now in operation at 
the following places on the the coast of Oregon, commencing at 
the southern boundary of the State and going north : Ellensburg, 
at the mouth of Rogue River, Port Orford, Randolph, at the 
mouth of the Coquille, Coos Bay, the mouth of the Umpqua and 
Yaquina Bay. Coos Bay is the principal one of these points, 
partly on account of its lumber trade, and partly on account of 
its coal. The two together have been the means of building up 
quite a considerable commerce although the population is small. 
There are three large mills in operation there, having a joint ca- 
pacity of 75,000 feet of miscellaneous lumber every ten hours, 
when in ordinary running order. They are all driven by steam. 
The mill owners have their own vessels, especially constructed 
for the purpose of transporting their lumber to market. About 
20,000,000 feet is shipped from this place every year.' Xotwith- 



50 

standing the drain upon the timber on the shores of the bay, car- 
ried on at this rate for the past ten or a dozen years, the supply 
is still large enough to offer inducements for the erection of other 
mills of larger capacity and power than any of those now at work. 

At Portland there are three mills in operation having a joint 
capacity of 45,000 feet in ten hours. Their business is confined 
to the manufacture of lumber for the local market. The ma- 
chinery consists of the ordinary double circular, edgers, trim- 
mers, lath saws, slab saws and the necessary planing and other 
dressing machinery to meet the wants of the market for dressed 
lumber, all driven by stean power. Their logs cost $5, coin, per 
M, delivered in the boom at the mills. Labor costs them, in gold, 
$4 per day for head sawyer, $5 for hands with the planing and 
dressing machinery, and from $2 to $3 for all other classes of 
labor. They receive for lumber the following rates, (April 1st 
1870) : Street lumber, $11, to $12; miscellaneous rough lumber, 
$14, to $15; flooring, $26 to $28 ; siding, $20 to $21 $ miscella- 
neous lumber, dressed, from $20 to $31, — all in gold. These rates 
include the delivery of the lumber to any part of the city. The 
three mills turned out the past year about 7,600,000 feet of lum- 
ber of all grades, all of which was consumed in the city. 

On the Columbia river below the junction of the Willamette, 
there are a number of small mills in operation. Two of the lar- 
gest have a capacity of 15,000 feet per day, each. The others 
average from 3,000 to 10,000 feet per day. One is now in course 
of construction at the mouth of the river, calculated to cut from 
40,000 to 50,000 feet every ten hours. A small part of the lum- 
ber made on the lower Columbia is consumed at Portland ; the 
bulk of it goes to San Francisco, China, South America, the 
Sandwich Islands and Mexico. The expenses of running a saw- 
mill on the Columbia, are a little less than at Portland. Logs 
cost less by a dollar or dollar and a half per M., and the cost of 
labor is somewhat less, particularly, unskilled labor. The mills 
are generally located on the bank of the river or a navigable 
slough or tributary, for the convenience of shipping the lumber > 
as well as for getting logs to the mills economically. The price 
of lumber at these mills is always determined by the San Fran- 
cisco price, that being the principal market. Freight, to San 
Franciso by sailing vessels, is now $6 per M. ; the San Francisco 
price for miscellaneous rough lumber is $16, leaving the lumber- 
man $10 6& the net price of his lumber at the mill. Lumber^ 



51 

like all other commodities^ fluctuates more or less at the leading 
markets; the prices are now "down." From $20 to $22 is 
about the highest range in San Francisco for common lumber 
when the market is active and prices up. 

Some business is done on the Columbia in ship timber, spars 
and piles. China is the chief market for light spars and San 
Francisco for piles and heavy timber. There is little or nothing 
done in heavy spars, or masts, as Puget Sound supples the mar- 
kets with them. The saw mills of the Columbia, like those of 
other places in Oregon and Washington Territory, use the 
double circular, and the usual edging, trimming and dressing ma- 
chinery, driven in some cases by water, and in others by steam 
power. Taken in the aggregate, they manufacture and send to 
market every year, a large quantity of lumber of every grade ; 
but no single establishment is wielded with sufficient capital to 
make its business so enormously large as in the case of the Port 
Gamble, Port Orchard and other establishments on Puget Sound. 
But this circumstauce is not owing to a lack of natural facilities, 
or, of the raw material ) for the sloping hill sides, descending to 
the banks of the river on both sides, from the Willamette to the 
sea, a distance of a hundred miles, are clothed with a dense com- 
pact growth to the water's edge, of all the varieties of timber 
common to the Northwest coast. Experienced lumbermen es- 
timate that the timber within one mile of the navigable waters 
of the Columbia, suitable for saw logs, cannot be exhausted by 
the saw mill force now in operation, during the present genera- 
tion. Many times, a hundred thousand feet of lumber have been 
taken from an acre of ground and it is not uncommon for six to 
eight thousand feet to be obtained from a single tree. The 
usual rate of stumpage is 50 cts. per M. when logs are obtained 
in that way. Generally, mill owners buy the lands and have the 
logs delivered by contract. The method adopted for getting 
the logs to the mills is, to haul them to the water's edge on wheels, 
from the place of cutting, generally not over a few hundred 
yards, then, after getting them into the water, they are made 
into rafts, to be floated to the mill, if down stream, or towed by 
a small tug, if they are to go up stream. Timbered lands well 
situated for logging purposes are held at from $8 to $15 per acre. 
Within three miles of the river, government lands can be ob- 
tained in any quantity. 



52 

FISHEKIES. 

The salmon is the principal fish of Oregon waters. It is noted 
among the most delicious of its species in any part of the world; 
and is so plentiful in its season, that it has constituted the prin- 
cipal article of food for the Indian tribes of the country from 
time immemorial. It enters largely into general consumption 
as an article of diet, with the present population, during the 
spring and summer. The salmon fisheries of the Columbia river 
have become an important branch of Oregon industry. Until 
within the last few years they were worked almost exclusively 
by Indians and half breeds, producing a few barrels of fish an- 
nually to be exchanged for a few necessary supplies. Now they 
engage the attention of capital amounting to many thousands 
of dollars, and the labor of several hundred men. 

The heaviest business is done by the canning establishments, 
of which there are four, employing in the aggregate about two 
hundred men during the busy season, and from eight to ten each, 
the remainder of the year. The process of canning salmon has 
been lately introduced. It consists in cooking and seasoning the 
fish ready for the table, after which it is put, while hot, into tin 
cans, containing each one and two pounds, and hermetically 
sealed. The cans are then packed in cases of two dozen two- 
pound, or four dozen one-pound cans, in a case, for shipment. 
There is but little local demand for the article thus prepared, on 
account of the large supply and low price of fresh salmon. But 
it has been introduced into foreign markets with great success. 

Export statistics show that San Francisco received from the 
Columbia river during the year 1869, 22,130 cases of canned sal- 
mon. Two dozen cans to the case would amount to 531,120 cans, 
shipped to San Francisco alone, A considerable portion of this, 
however, was forwarded to New York city. The estimate of 
some persons intimately acquainted with the business is that the 
product of canned salmon for the year 1869, would reach an ag- 
gregate of 800,000 cans. 

The canning houses are provided with the necessary boats, 
nets and other appliances for catching the fish, and generally, 
rely on their own catch to supply the cannery, although the 
practice is coming into vogue of buying fish from others who 
carry on fishing On a Small scale, without sufficient capital to 
conduct the canning business. The price paid in such cases, 
ranges from 20 to 30 cents a piece. The average weight of the 



53 

Columbia river salmon is from 20 to 25 pounds. The cost of 
labor connected with the catching and canning business is, from 
$50 to 80 per month and board, for experienced hands; $25 to 
40 for ordinary hands, and from $15 to 20 for boys and young 
men to work about the canneries. , 

The class of nets used are what are technically called "Gill 
nets." They are "floated" or "drifted" and the fish hauled 
into the boats. A net of 100 fathoms length and 20 feet depth 
costs in the neighborhood of $140, and boats cost from $100 to 
125. Each caunery has its own machinery for the manufacture 
of cans, the material for which is purchased in large quantities 
and at wholesale prices. 

Aside from the canneries, about one hundred men are engaged 
in Salmon fishing, generally in parties, of from two to six, who 
have their own nets, boats and tackle, and carry oh business, 
either to supply the Portland market with fresh fish, or salt and 
can their fish, to be marketed in Portland, w r hence it is shipped 
to San Francisco or to the Sandwich Islands. The different 
methods of curing are, first, by salting down in barrels; salting 
and smoking; and salting and pickling in small kits for family 
use. The consumption in Portland and the interior towns, of 
fish cured in all these different ways, is quite considerable. Dur- 
ing the year 1869, the shipments of salted salmon to San Fran- 
cisco amounted to 3,792 barrels and 4,746 half barrels. The 
amount of capital required to carry on the business of catching 
and salting is not so large but that it can be prosecuted by men 
of moderate means. Fish barrels cost $1 75 a piece ; half barrels 
$1 25 ; Salt of the kind used in the business costs $25 per ton at 
Portland. The usual price of salted salmon at Portlaud is from 
$9 to 10 per barrel. 

The fishing season commences about the first of April and 
lasts until the last of July. There is usually a tall run of sal- 
mon, but the fish are not as good as the spring run. 

Sturgeon, tom-cod, flounder and smelt are very plentiful in the 
Columbia; and mountain and brook trout, in all the small 
streams throughout the country. The market is plentifully sup- 
plied with all these in the season. 

Oyster fishing is carried on to some extent at Shoalwater Bay 
in Washington Territory and at Yaquina Bay in Oregon. At 
the first named place about 100 men are emplyed one way and 




54 

another. At Yaquina Bay, the number is not so large, nor the 
facilities for culture as good. The oysters of both places are 
small but of fine flavor. They find a ready market at Portland 
and in the interior towns of Oregon and at San Francisco. 

SCHOOLS. 

The school fund of this State is under the management of a 
Board of Commissioners, consisting of the Governor, Secretary 
of State and State Treasurer, who loan the fund at the rate of 
10 per cent, per annum interest, secured by mortgage on real 
estate. This fund amounted in 1868 to $242,228, bringing an an- 
nual interest of $24,222, to be distributed by law to the several 
counties for common school purposes; the amount to which each 
county is entitled, being determined by a census of its children 
of the lawful age to entitle them to the benefit of the fund. 

Each county levies a tax yearly, for common school purposes; 
and each school district is authorized by law to levy a tax, in 
addition, sufficient to make the schools free to all, and to keep 
them open the entire year; this is the case in all the larger 
towns and most populous districts. For example: 

The school fund of Linn county, this year, is $5,597, to be 
divided among 4,245 scholars, giving $1 32 to each scholar ; in 
Lane county, the fund is $3,262, to be divided among 2,773 
scholars, giving to each $1 18 ; in Polk county the fund is $3,037, 
No. of scholars 2,144, amount per scholar $1 42 ; in Marion 
county, amount of fund $6,300, No. of scholars 4,457, amount per 
scholar $1 39£. These respective amounts are exclusive of the 
tax, levied in the several districts by the voters thereof, which 
may be made sufficient to keep open the schools the entire year, 
or not, at their option. 

To illustrate this point: School District No. 1 of Multnomah 
•county, which embraces the City of Portland, contains according 
to a census of February 1870, 2,117 scholars. The apportion- 
ment of the State and county school fund to the district was 
$7,446 75. The amount of taxable property in the district is 
$5,303,511 on which was levied at a meeting of voters a tax of 
2£ mills on the dollar, aggregating $13,258 78. Of this $11,830 
was collected which together with the State and county fund, 
the balance on hand from the year previous and some collections 
of deliquent taxes, made an aggregate of $23,332. The dis- 
bursements amounted to $17,752, leaving $5,581 in the Treasury. 
The disbursements include $12,417 for pay of teachers. , 



55 

The District owns six school houses and the grounds occupied 
by them. Three quarters, of fourteen weeks each, were taught 
in all the schools. 

The land in the State for school purposes is — 

1st — The 16th and 36th sections in each township of the pub- 
lic lands; 

2d— Seventy-two sections for the State University; 

3d — Five hundred thousand acres granted by Congress, Sept. 
4th, 1841; 

4th — Ninety thousand acres for an Agricultural College. 

The University fund bus about ten thousand dollars on hand 

With a quarter of a million dollars on hand and the receipts 
from the sale of school lands, Oregon has in the near future a 
magnihcient endowment for her common schools; ample to af- 
ford a good English education, free, to every child in the State. 
The people have always devoted great attention to the question 
of education, and there can be no danger that they will ever 
permit the diversion of this fund from its legitimate purpose 
under any pretense whatever. 

The higher schools supported by tuition and endowments are: 

One in Jackson county, Catholic. 

One in Douglas " Methodist. 

One in Benton " Presbyterian. 

One in Benton "■ Episcopal. 

One in Benton " S. Methodist. 

One in Linn " Presbyterian. 

One in Linn " Methodist. 

Two in Marion " " 

These are all good schools, conducted under the auspices of 
the several denominations of the Christian church, and, except 
the Catholic, can hardly be deemed sectarian. 

The Willamette University at Salem, and the Pacific Univer- 
sity at Forest Grove, have fine buildings and about fifty thousand 
dollars endowment, each. 

For its population, there is no State in the Union more liber- 
ally provided with educational facilities. 

GENERAL LAWS. 

Property rights of married women. — The constitution of 
Oregon provides : 

"That the property and pecuniary rights of every- married women at the time 
of her marriage, or afterwards acquired by gift, devise or inheritance, shall not be 
subject to the debts or contracts of the husband ; and laws shall be patsed providing 
for the registration of the wife's separate property »" 

Specific performance of Coin Contracts. — A statute of Oct. 
1864, provides : 

"That the several courts in giving judgment or decree on a written contract for the 



One in Marion county, Catholic. 

One in Polk " Methodist. 

One in Polk " Independent. 

One in Yamhill " Baptist. 

One in Washington " Congregational. 

Two in Multnomah " Episcopal. 

Ooe in Multnomah " Catholic. 

One in Multnomah " Methodist. 



56 

payment or delivery of gold coin, <fcc, shall, if either party require it, adjudge or 
cleeree, that the principal sum and interest so contracted to be paid or delivered, shall 
be paid in the kind of naoney specified in such contract." 

Under this law gold or coin contracts are specifically enforced 
and transactions by written contract to pay coin are more nu- 
merous than contracts for currency. The custom of the country 
is to transact all business on a gold basis, and when legal tenders 
are used, they are taken at their value in gold, determined by 
the New York or San Francisco quotations. State and county 
taxes are payable in coin. 

Interest on Money. — The legal rate when there is a contract 
to pay interest and no rate specified, is ten per cent, per annum. 
But by express agreement of parties one percent, per month 
may be charged and no more. Violations of this law subject 
the usurer to the liability of having the entire debt forfeited to 
the school fund; the debtor, however, is not exonerated from 
liability to pay, his condition only, is changed. 

Extracts from the Constitution. — The Constitution of the 
State prohibits the Legislature from 

Incorporating any bank or other monied institution, or from authorizing any bank 
to issue bills or checks, or other paper to circulate as money. 

Corporations may be formed under general laws, but shall not be created by spe- 
cial laws, except for municipal purposes Stockholders in all corporations and joint 
stock companies shall be liable for the debts of their respective companies to the 
amount of their stock subscribed and unpaid, and no more. 

Acts of the legislative Assembly incorporating towns and cities shall restrict their 
powers of taxation, borrowing money, contracting debts and loaning their credit. 

The State shall not subscribe to, or be interested in the stock of any corporation, 
company or association. 

No county, city or other municipal corporation by vote of its citizens or otherwise, 
shall become a stockholder in any joint stock company, corporation or association, 
whatever, or loan its credit to, or in aid of any such company or association. 

The legislative Assembly shall not loan, the credit of the State, or create any debts 
or liabilities, which singly or in the aggregate with previous debts or liabilities shall 
exceed the sum of fifty thousand dollars, except in case of war or to repel invasion 
or suppress insurrection. 

The State of Oregon, owing to the^wise provisions of its con- 
stitution, has comparatively no debt, With the exception of two 
or three new mining counties, there is no county in the State 
that has any debt of any consequence. No onerous burdens are 
imposed upon the people in the form of taxes every year, to pay 
interest on accumulated debts either State, county or municipal. 
The rates of taxation in the different counties, for state, county f 
school and all purposes ranges from fifteen to twenty mills on 
the dollar, rarely going as high the latter figure. 

The laws of the State exempt from sale under execution, in 
case of distress for debt: the wearing apparel of a family; the 
tools, teams or vehicles, implements or library, necessary to en- 
able any person to carry on the trade or profession by which he 



57 

gains a livelihood to the value of four hundred dollars; provi- 
sions actually provided for family use and necessary for its sup- 
port for six months; household goods, furniture and utensils to 
the value of three hundred dollars, together with two cows, five 
swine and ten sheep with one year's fleece or the yarn or cloth 
made therefrom; books, pictures and musical instruments to the 
value of seventy -five dollars; and the pew, occupied by a house- 
holder or family in any place of public worship. 

EMIGEANT ROUTES AND COST OF TRAVEL 
TO OREGON. 

From all parts of the country on the Atlantic sea-board there 
are two practicable routes of travel to Oregon. 

1st — By railway across the continent. This is much the most 
expeditious route of the two, and for emigrants from any point 
in the Western States is perferable to the other. Through- 
tickets to San Francisco, can be purchased at all the large cities 
oi the Atlantic States, making the connection with the mainline 
of road at Chicago or Omaha. The usual time consumed in 
making the trip to San Francisco is about seven days from New 
York and six days from Chicago. From San Francisco to Port- 
land, Oregon, the trip is made by ocean steamer in about four 
days, distance 640 miles. 

Through Fares to San Francisco, payahle in "CURRENCY". 

From 1st class curs. 2d class cars. 

New York to San Francisco $140 00 $110 00 

Philadelphia" " 138 00 110 Ot) 

Baltimore f? " 137 25 108 75 

Chicago " " 118 00 93 00 

St. Louis •' " 118 00 93 00 

Omaha " " 100 00 80 00 

Second class cars go with the "Express-Trains". 

Children not over 12 years of age, half fare ; under five years of age, free. 
100 lbs of baggage to each adult passenger, free. 
50" " " " child between 5 and 12 years, free. 

Extra baggage (over 100 lbs) from Chicago to San Francisco per ft) 17c. 

from Omaha " " " 15c. 

First class freight from Chicago " " " 7£c. 

Sleeping accomodations and meals are charged extra. Sleeping berths accomodat- 
ing two persons cost $22 00 from New York, $17 00 from Chicago and $14 00 from 
Omaha. Emigrants are allowed to carry provisions with them in the cars, and there- 
by save considerable expenses in that line. 

From San Francisco to Portland by steamer, fare, payable 
in coin. , 

Cabin $36 00; Steerage $20,50; "actual. emigrants" in the steerage $12 00; usual 
allowance of baggage and reductions in favor of the children under 12 years of age. 
In order that emigrants may avail themselves of the benefits of the "emigrant" rate 
of fare on the steamer, they must be provided with a certificate to the effect that they 
are "actual emigrants," from the Board of Immigration at Portland, Oregon, which 
can be obtained of the Secretary of the Board, by applying by letter; or the certificate 
can be obtained at the office of the California Emigrant Union, 315 California 
Street, San Francisco, by furnishing satisfactory evidence that they are actual emi- 



58 

grants. Applications by letter should give the name distinctly, and the number of 
children in each family. 

Oregon has connection with the Pacific railroad at two points. 
Kelton in Utah, and Sacramento, Calitornia. A daily line of 
stages runs from Kelton through south-western Idaho and north- 
eastern Oregon to Umatilla on the Columbia river ; distance 515 
miles ; through fare $60 00 coin : time four days • 50 lbs of bag- 
gage, free. To persons bound for points in Eastern Oregon, or 
Washington Territory, this is a good route, saving distance and 
time, but scarcely practicable for families on account of the 
length of stage travel. The cost this way is about the same as 
that around by the way of San Francisco and Portland. 

From Sacramento a line of railway is in operation, north- 
wardly to Oroville, connecting there with a daily line ©f stages 
to Portland; distance 576 miles; through fare from Sacramento 
to Portland $45 00 coin; time, six days in summer, twelve days 
in winter. This route offers inducements to people going into 
southern Oregon, as the stages cross the entire state from south 
to north. Fare by this route from Sacramento to Rogue river 
Yalley $40 00 ; to the Umpqua Yalley $45 00--all in coin ; length 
of stage ride from Oroville to Rogue river Yalley, 280 miles; to 
Umpqua Yalley 375 miles ; time to each place, three and four 
days, respectively. § 

The second main route of travel from the Atlantic sea-board 
is from New York to San Francisco by ocean steamer, via Pa- 
nama. The steamers of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company 
leave New York on the 5th and 21st of each month ; time to 
San Francisco, 22 days. The fare by this route is somewhat 
subject to fluctuation, but always lower than the fare by railway. 
$125 00 in the cabin and $65 00 in the steerage (both in currency) 
is about the rate. Passengers by this route are allowed a larger 
quantity of baggage, free, than by railway, and would not have 
to pay as high rates on extra baggage. 

Cost of Travel from Europe. — Payable in gold. 

The Liverpool and Great Western Steamship Company sells 
through thickets to San Francisco, from the several European 
sea-port towns, at rates as follows : 

To San Francisco from Cabin. Steerage. 

Liverpool and Queenstown $210 00 $84 00 

Hamburg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Harlingen and Antwerp..... 224 00 90 00 
Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Christiania, Bergen, Havre, Paris, 

Manheim ... 230 00 94 00 

Children under 12 half price ; under 1 year $3 50. 

Passengers are forwarded from New York by the boats of the 
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, via Panama. Steamers leave 



59 

Liverpool and Queenstown once a week. Steerage passengers 
are supplied on the ocean passage with medical attendance and 
good substantial food, free of cost. Owing to the fluctuations 
in gold in New York, the cost of forwarding passengers from 
that point to Sao Francisco is not always the same, hence the 
through rates from Europe are liable to some variation, though 
not more than a few dollars, and in any case, emigrants from 
Europe will find this much the cheaper route. 

In case emigrants from Europe should prefer to cross the 
American continent by railf the following rates of fare to the 
United States by the several steamship lines will enable them to 
estimate the cost; railroad fare from New York and other cities 
heretofore given. 

By the North German Lloyd Steamship line (payable in gold). 

Ajj t Children Children 

From Bremen, Southampton & Havre 1 to 10. under! year. 

to Baltimore Cabin $100 00, $50 00 $2 00 

V " Steerage 40 00 20 00 2 00 

By the "Anchor Line" of steamers from Glasgow to New 
York. (Steerage : payable in gold). 

To New York. 

From Glasgow, Londonderry, Liverpool & Queenstown $34 00 

Children from 1 to 12 years, half fare. 
" under 1 year, $5 00. 

" Hamburg, Antwerp, Rotterdam or Havre 40 00 

" Denmark, Norway, Sweden or Paris 45 00 

" Drontheim, Malmo or Stavanger, $3 00 extra. 

Children, 1 to 12 years, half fare. 
" under 1 year, free. 

From the foregoing tables and descriptions of the different 
routes any one can easily calculate for himself the cost of travel 
to Oregon from any point in Europe or United States. 



It is reported that a change reducing overland 
railroad fare will be made after May 1st. 



WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 



This pamphlet would hardly fulfill the object for which it was 
written, without, at least, a short description of Washington 
Territory. The Territory was originally a part of Oregon, from 
which it was separated by act of Congress, of March 2d 1853, 
providing its people with a territorial government. It has an 
area of about 70,000 square miles, and a population of about40,000. 
The seat of government is at Olympia, at the the head of Puget 
Sound. The Territory is divided into eastern and western di- 
visions by the Cascade Mountains, the same as Oregon. It has 
for its boundaries, British Columbia on the north, Idaho Terri- 
tory on the east, Oregon on the south, from which it is sepa- 
rated by the Columbia river, and the ocean on the west. It has 
the same peculiarities of climate, in its eastern and western di- 
visions, that have been described as belonging to Oregon. Ly- 
ing on the north, it is a trifle colder in winter, and only a trifle, 
unless, it may be, in the extreme northren part, where the coun- 
try is mountainous and subject to deep snows, the thermometer in 
winter indicates a colder climate. The description given of the soil 
and products of Oregon, will apply equally well to Washington Ter- 
ritory, except thatthe proportion of good land in the western part, 
is not so large as in western Oregon. There is less prairie land of 
good quality, but the timber and brushy lands of the creek an d river 
bottoms are good as can be found anywhere. The principal set- 
tlements of the Western part are located around Puget sound and 
on the Columbia river. Although farming is carried on to a 
considerable extent on the sound, still the leading branch of 
business there, is the lumber trade. Coal mining and the fisher- 
ies are quite important branches of business. The Sound coun- 
try is good for stock raising, the climate being so mild that but 
little feeding in winter is required. 

Puget Sound is a large inland sea having a length of about 160 
jnileSj with an entrance from the sea in the northwest- 



61 

ern corner of the territory. With its numerous inlets, channels 
and bays, it affords shipping facilities rarely met with in any 
part of the world. 

The eastern part of Washington Territory has the same cha- 
racteristics of soil and products as eastern Oregon. The prin- 
cipal settlements are in the south east corner, in the Walla 
Walla and other valleys. Walla Walla county, embracing near- 
ly all these valleys, has an area of about 3,500,000 acres; 418,- 
000 acres arable land j the remainder pasture and timber. About 
165,000 acres have been entered under the pre-emption and home- 
stead laws and by cash purchase. The population of the county 
is about 7,000 souls, the taxable property amounting to $1,822,- 
752. The average yield of farm products per acre is : 25 bush- 
els of wheat; 30 of oats; 30 of barley; 40 of corn; 20 of rye; 
40 of peas; 500 of potatoes : 300 of sweet potatoes and 1000 of 
carrots. Fruit of all kinds succeeds well. The county is bound- 
ed on two sides by the navigable waters of the Columbia and 
Snake rivers, but the principal markets are in the mining regions 
of the adjacent territories. The prices of farm products, stock 
and other commodities, as well as the rate of wages, differ but 
little from those of eastern Oregon. 

There is a very large amount of vacant land in both the east- 
ern and western parts of the territory, to be obtained by 
settlers, under the homestead and pre-emption laws, and in some 
localities by cash purchase. 

The advantages of churches and schools are not as good as in 
Oregon; the country is more sparsely settled and newer; the 
people have not had the opportunity to build up institutions of 
that kind. But in this respect it is improving gradually ; the 
people are generally of a ciass that appreciate the advantages 
to society of such institutes, and are making commendable ef- 
forts to place their school system on a sound basis, as well as to 
preserve and regulate the moral tone of society. 

About .the only general idea that can be given of the price of 
improved land in Washington Territory, is, that it sells at about 
what the improvements would cost, except that in a few particu- 
lar localities it may bealittle higher. Settlements in the territory 
cluster around a few centers. Near these the land has been taken' 
good, bad, and indifferent. Outside of these settlements, almost 
the entire territory is vacant. A good authority estimates the 
arable land of the western part of the territory at 6,000,000 acres, 



62 

and while it is true that the prairies are generally taken, it is 
conceded to be equally true that the best lands, embracing 
the alder flats on creek bottoms are mostly unoccu- 
pied. The Chehalis and Willopah valleys contain upwards of 
300,000 acres of vacant land. These valleys produce abundantly 
all kinds of grain, grass, vegetables and fruits, commonly grown 
in a temperate climate, except corn, peaches, and a few tender 
varieties of vegetables. The climate and soil of the territory 
adapted for the homes of men. It is capable of supporting a vast 
population, and offers abundant rewards for the industry of the 
farmer, mechanic, lumberman and other industrial classes. 




BOARD OF STATISTICS, 

Immigration, and Labor Exchange, 



FOR OEEGON. 



Officers of tlie A-Ssociation : 



TRUSTEES. 



W. S. LADD, 

J. C. AINSWORTH, 

A. M. LORYEA, 

HENRY FAILING, 

H.McKINNELL, 

EXECUTIVE 

E. D. SHATTUCK. 
A. M. LORYEA, 

PRESIDENT. 

E. D. SHATTUCK, ' 

TREASURER, 

W. S. LADD. 



F. DEKUM, 

L. WHITE, 

C. H. LEWIS, 

E. D. SHATTUCK. 

H. C. LEONARD. 

COMMITTEE. 

W. S. LADD, 

J. C. ATNS WORTH. 

VICE-PRESIDENT, 

A, M. LORYEA. 

SECRETARY, 

JOHN M. DRAKE, 



jg^Copies of this Pamphlet can be obtained eree of charge 
by addressing the Secretary; at Portland, Oregon. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





017 187 481 6 




"-<Vv~ 





